A Distant World
by KingRPG
Summary: What if Ludger, Jude and Milla entered a fractured dimension - only to discover they have entered a completely different world. Read on as the trio now join Velvet's group in her journey. Will the entrance of these three outsiders help Velvet on her quest? Or will they completely change the course of the Midgand Empire?
1. CHAPTER 1: THE ENTRY

**A/N: Well with the recent release of ToB, I just wanted to write a story featuring its setting. But at the same time, I just finished "A New Beginning", which was a ToX story so I still have my Xillia hype with me. And then I thought, how about mashing the 2 stories? So this is my take on it!**

 **Let me know what you guys think!**

 **CHAPTER 1: THE ENTRY**

At the small village of Hamil, Ludger Will Kresnik was searching for his two friends – namely the head of spyrite research, Jude Mathis and the renowned Lord of Spirits, Milla Maxwell. The others were currently busy attending to their own things.

Leia apparently was trailing a scoop she could not afford to miss. Alvin was busy trying to establish a reputation for his business, so he did not wish to be disturbed. Elize was actually free, but Ludger just couldn't contact her since she wasn't answering her GHS. Rowen was most likely busy, considering he was the Prime Minister of Rieze Maxia and was probably dealing with the remnants of Exodus. Erston, or also known as Gaius, also couldn't be contacted because he had no idea how to operate his GHS. As for Muzet, Ludger preferred not to call her.

"Even Elle is missing." Ludger sighed. That little girl was always a handful, so he was worried. But Rollo was most likely with her and the fat cat always knows its way home, so at least Elle wouldn't get lost.

Ludger found Jude and Milla around the porange farm, where the large porange trees were being attended to by the villagers. Jude and Milla were watching the adult villagers harvesting the poranges while the children played nearby.

Ludger walked towards them and when he neared them, he could hear their conversation.

"The poranges from Hamil are always so big and sweet, I wonder how they manage it." Milla said while watching the poranges being harvested.

"Well, Hamil's source of income comes from the export of their poranges, so they probably put all their effort in making their poranges the best." Jude explained and then chuckled, "You really like their poranges, huh? You're drooling."

Milla indeed was unconsciously drooling as she stared at the bright, orange poranges being handled by the villagers. She quickly wiped her lips, "I'd bet Ludger could whip up something delicious with these poranges."

Ludger reached the two and joined the conversation, "I guess I could. I'd like to try making something like a porange pie or something. Or maybe even a porange curry? I think they'd taste great."

"Well, anything you cook tastes great, Ludger." Jude said with an amused grin, "Especially when it comes to your tomato-themed dishes. I can see why Julius loves it so much."

Ludger's mood grew solemn at the mention of his brother, "Julius…"

"Oh, s-sorry. I didn't mean to bring that up."

Ludger shook his head, "N-No, don't worry about it."

"Anyway, what brings you here Ludger?" Milla questioned.

"Everyone's busy so I thought I'd spend the day with you two. There's not much for us to do while we wait for the news." Ludger answered.

Jude agreed, "That's true. The dimensional abyss towards the final Waymarker is still unstable, so there's nothing we can do but wait until Spirius gives us the green light."

Three days have already passed since Milla Maxwell entered the human realm, at the cost of sacrificing the alternate Milla. It was still a sensitive topic for everyone, especially Elle and Ludger, so they mostly try to avoid mentioning alternate Milla. The pain was still fresh.

So while the party waited until the dimensional abyss for the final Waymarker stabilized, everyone just did their own thing. Sometimes Ludger was still called to help destroy some fractured dimensions, bringing along whoever that was free to help.

At that exact moment, Ludger's GHS started ringing. Ludger picked it up, knowing who it was even without looking at the caller ID.

"Department of Dimensional Affair here." The familiar voice of Vera spoke, "We have detected a new fractured dimension."

Jude chuckled, "Ludger always manages to get a call from the DODA when he's with us."

"It makes me wonder if this is all a coincidence or they do it on purpose." Milla mused.

Vera continued briefing Ludger, "Unfortunately, we haven't been able to pinpoint the exact coordinates of this particular dimension. It's actually unstable even. We advise you to proceed with caution."

"…Is it safe?" Ludger asked.

"Unstable dimensions rarely occur, but they do happen. However, on the few times this happened, we lost contact with the Agents that entered these dimensions. I can understand if you wish to reject the mission."

"…No, its fine. I'll take the mission."

"I had a feeling you will. Even if the worst should happen, the same rule should apply. Just remember that if you can find the divergence catalyst, you should be able to return back to the prime dimension." There was a slight pause before Vera said, "Good luck."

Ludger stared at his GHS for a few seconds before returning it to his pocket. He released a heavy sigh, not looking forward to a complicated mission.

"That sounded serious. What's going on?" Milla asked.

"There's a fractured dimension I have to destroy, but… it seems the DODA is unable to pinpoint the exact coordinates." Ludger explained.

Jude thought about that for a moment, "So basically, they have no idea where this fractured dimension will take us?"

Ludger nodded, "Yeah. But Vera said this has happened before, although it's on rare occasions."

"So it's safe?" Mill asked.

"…According to Vera, past Agents have lost contact with the DODA when they entered the unstable dimensions. But even if that happens, so long as we can find the divergence catalyst, we can complete the mission."

"Searching for the divergence catalyst should be easy. It's the one that's most different from the prime dimension after all."

Jude was still worried however, "But I wonder what could causes these unstable dimensions. I mean, do you think it's maybe just a glitch in the system?"

"Or perhaps the location doesn't exist in this world." Milla suggested.

"Doesn't exist?" Jude repeated, flabbergasted, "But that won't make any sense, right? I mean, how can there be a fractured dimension that doesn't exist in our world?"

"It's just a guess." Milla remarked. She then faced the young Kresnik, "Ludger, I assume you'll be taking on the assignment?"

"Yeah."

"Then we'll join you to help, as always. No way are we going to let you go alone to handle this." Jude offered.

"I appreciate it." Ludger said earnestly.

Milla shifted her posture, "This mission is a wild card. We'd best prepare and be ready for anything."

Ludger nodded in agreement and the trio headed towards the general store in Hamil to stock up on apple gels, food and whatever they might need. After several minutes of shopping and haggling with the merchants, the trio was done.

Ludger took out his GHS and opened the message from Vera that contained the unknown coordinates for the unstable dimension. He looked at Jude and Milla to see if they were ready. The two nodded in unison. With a deep breath, Ludger clicked a button on his GHS and the trio was pulled into the rift. None of the villagers of Hamil even noticed they were gone.

Unknown to Ludger, Jude and Milla, the three were thrown into a completely different world.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When Ludger opened his eyes, nothing greeted him but the darkness. For a second, he thought he lost his vision and was blind but when he noticed a small simmer of light above him, he realized he was just in a dark room. A dark, circular, dungeon-like room.

"L-Ludger? Any idea where we are?" Jude asked.

Due to the darkness, Ludger could tell Jude was next to him but he couldn't see. "I… I don't know. It's too soon to tell."

"Efreet, if you'd please." Milla said simply. The Great Spirit of Fire understood and obeyed, physically manifesting to Milla's side and creating a ball of fire in the palm of his hand, introducing some light into the room.

Jude surveyed his surroundings, "It looks like… we're in a dungeon of some sort."

"Hang on, I'll call Vera and see if she knows where we are now." Ludger said.

Ludger took out his GHS and called the DODA – only to receive a respond he wasn't expecting. A dead line. Ludger blinked in confusion. This had never happened before. Vera had assured him and the others before that even if they were in a fractured dimension, the GHS would still work. But if they could not contact Vera, they were technically blind.

"Ludger, what's wrong?" Jude asked.

"The GHS… it isn't working. I can't contact Vera." Ludger revealed in horror.

"W-What?!" Jude cried out in shock.

"So this is what Vera warned you about." Milla remarked, "Agents that entered these unstable dimensions lost contact with the prime dimension. We're on our own then."

Ludger tried again, dialing the DODA line but he was met with the same response – a dead line. They were alone in this dimension!

"Jude, Ludger, be on your guard." Milla said calmly to her companions, "We're not alone in this room."

Ludger and Jude were so preoccupied about the situation that they completely forgot about checking their surroundings. Even though there was some light from Efreet's fire, it did not light up the whole room. And now that Milla mentioned it, they could definitely feel another presence in the shadows – as if a predator stalking its prey.

"Watch out!" Milla cried out.

The predator from the shadows emerged from its hiding spot, charging towards the three. Milla, Ludger and Jude jumped out of its way, but the predator already had its sight on a target – Jude. The spyrite researcher reacted quickly, dodging the predator's attack but Jude was not expecting what happened next. The predator's left arm transformed into a red demonic wolf-like claw and it moved to grab Jude's head.

"Jude!" Ludger cried out. Thinking quickly, the young Kresnik drew out his dual pistols and shot at the assailant. Sensing Ludger's bullets, the predator stopped its attack and leaped away to safety, ending the skirmish.

Jude quickly scrambled to his feet and rejoined Ludger and Milla. As for the unknown attacker, it scurried back to the shadows.

Then to trio's surprise, the predator spoke, "Who are you three? You're not daemons, yet you appeared in my domain out of thin air. Who sent you here?!"

Jude was the first to analyze the voice, "Y-You're a woman?"

"Answer my question!" The voice demanded from the shadows.

But before Ludger, Jude or Milla could answer, the sound of chains and metal interrupted them. It was coming from above and when they looked up, they saw that the locked gate above then was open. It seemed to be the only entrance into the pit.

From the entrance in the ceiling, a ladder descended along with what appeared to be a red-haired woman dressed in white. The shadowed predator that attacked the trio saw the woman and backed off, melding into the shadows. As for Ludger, Jude and Milla, they were on their guard.

The woman landed on her feet and eyed the trio in front of her. S

"…I was only expecting one prisoner. I did not know there are four of you here." The red-haired woman said plainly.

"We're not prisoners. We just arrived here as well." Milla answered.

The red-haired woman turned to Milla but when her eyes landed on Efreet, the Great Spirit of fire, she was taken aback, "…Is that a malak? No, you're different."

Efreet did not respond, although he felt the red-haired woman was quite similar to him – a spirit. But at the same time, they felt different too. Whatever it was, the red-haired woman and Efreet could sense they shared almost the same physical properties.

Before the red-haired woman could press for more questions, the shadowed predator released a sharp cry and emerged from the shadows. Ludger, Jude and Milla quickly got out of the way but they never had to as the predator was aiming the red-haired woman.

As the unknown predator neared the red-haired woman, there was now enough light that Jude could now see the person properly. It was a black-haired woman with long flowing hair. Her clothes were mostly torn, barely covering her body and exposing a lot of skin with the exception of her left arm, which was wrapped in bandages. But the first thing that Jude noticed about the woman was her facial features.

"M-Milla?" Jude stammered. The black-haired woman shared a lot of physical similarities to Milla that she could have been passed as Milla's sister. Ludger also saw the woman then and also thought she looked like Milla.

The black-haired woman reached her target and grabbed the woman with her bandaged arm by her face, shoving her backwards to the wall. A loud thud echoed within the small pit. The black-haired woman attempted to crush the red-haired woman's face but her bandaged arm suddenly burst into flames, forcing the black-haired woman to toss her target away. The flames dispelled a few seconds later.

"Where is he?!" The black-haired woman demanded from the red-haired woman.

The red-haired woman smiled, "I will answer your questions soon. But first, I believe we both need to know about our three unknown guests."

The black-haired woman looked at the trio and then back to the red-haired woman, "I don't care about them. They are not my target."

The red-haired woman smirked, "Are you sure? Maybe you don't sense it yet in your rage, but you should be able to tell – these three are not of our world."

The black-haired woman glared at the trio for a few seconds. Indeed she could feel something was off about them. But they were not her concern.

"Even so, I don't care about them." The black-haired woman spat, "Tell me where Artorius is!"

The red-haired woman never took her eyes off the trio, "Very well. Velvet, you still have your sights on Artorius, and I am here to help you. However I cannot ignore these three – not after knowing they're something else."

The black-haired woman, whom Jude now identified as Velvet thanks to the red-haired woman, narrowed her eyes, "Help me? I don't need help from a malak of his."

"I am his malak no longer." The red-haired woman retorted. She was about to say more but stopped herself, "Never mind. I will explain the situation to you soon. But first, I wish to deal with these three first."

"Deal with them?"

The red-haired woman moved into a defensive stance, "I guess you could call it a test: a test whether they deserve to live in this world – or perish."

Ludger, Jude and Milla were experienced enough to know that a battle was about to commence. That was the only thing they could do. They were still very confused about what was happening. They didn't know where they are, who Velvet or the red-haired was or what they needed to do. Their best bet at this point was to extract information from the red-haired woman since she appears to be knowledgeable.

Instead of being on the defensive, Jude and Ludger went for the offensive, charging towards the red-haired woman. The red-haired woman was caught by surprise at Jude and Ludger's speed, quickly creating an arc of fire around her. While that momentarily stopped Jude, it did not deter Ludger. The young Kresnik tumbled to his right and drew out his dual pistols.

" _Rolling Thunder!"_

Ludger fired a wave of bullets at the red-haired woman. The red-haired woman did not know what it was that Ludger fired at her but her instincts told her she was in danger and she leaped backwards. However that was her mistake as Jude anticipated that and was behind her. The red-haired woman was quick enough to create a spark of flames behind her but it was not enough as Jude's fist slammed into the woman's back.

The red-haired woman yelped in pain but it was not over. The red-haired woman saw in front of her was Milla along with the four Great Spirits by her side, all channeling their respective elemental artes.

"Enough!" The red-haired woman cried out, panting lightly, "You three pass the test."

Milla blinked and ordered the Great Four to cease their artes, which they did. After that, the Great Four dispelled their physical forms, returning to Milla's body. The red-haired woman noticed this of course.

"Those four… are they your Malakhims?" The red-haired woman asked Milla.

Milla had never heard of that word before and shook her head, "No. I've never heard anyone address the Great Four as Malakhim."

The red-haired woman thought as much. She concluded that while Milla seemed to have the characteristic of a high-ranking Exorcist that tethered four Malakhims to her, it appears to not be the case. Also, the four spirits seemed to be like malaks but apparently they are not – same but different at the same time.

That was not all. The red-haired woman has never seen the weapons Ludger used earlier – the dual pistols. And when Jude attacked her, she felt Jude was using artes that was borrowed from another being. This was Jude's spirit artes.

"Satisfied yet?" The black-haired woman, Velvet, taunted from the shadows

The red-haired woman nodded, "Yes. I think you can agree now that these three aren't from our world."

Velvet did not wish to speak so casually with the red-haired woman, but she had to agree, "Yes. There is something different about them. Not to mention they appeared in my prison pit out of nowhere."

Jude had enough about this and stepped up, "Please, we… we don't have any idea what's going on. I mean, we thought we came into this… dimension that's similar to our world but… but it seems we're in a different world?"

The red-haired woman waited for a few seconds, "It's quite hard to make sense of what you just asked, but from what I can understand… yes. You three are definitely not in _your_ world. Just like how we can sense you're not from our world."

"…What can you tell us?" Milla asked.

The red-haired woman stepped forward, "I believe introductions are in order. I am Seres, a malak that used to serve Artorius Collbrande."

"A malak?" Ludger repeated. Seres cleared her throat in annoyance and Ludger discovered what she wanted, "O-Oh right. I-I'm Ludger. Ludger Will Kresnik."

"I am Milla Maxwell, Lord of Spirits." Milla introduced herself.

"And I'm Jude Mathis." Jude followed up.

Seres wanted to say something else but she noticed Velvet wasn't even listening. The black-haired woman was climbing the ladder towards her escape.

"You can find out everything about them if you want, but I'm not going to waste my time." Velvet said as she continued climbing the ladder, "I've waited years for this. Now all I need to do is find him – and kill him!"

Seres watched as Velvet climbed out of the entrance and was gone. She was definitely in a rush to find her target for her vengeance. She looked back at the confused trio.

"I understand you're all still confused but we have to follow her." Seres said as she started to climb the ladder, "I'll explain everything about world as we move on. That's the best I can do for now."

Ludger, Jude and Milla looked at each other before they followed Seres. With Ludger's GHS not working to contact Vera, Seres was technically the only lead they had. So they will have to follow her and Velvet for now until they have an idea of where they are and what the divergence catalyst could be.

Unknown to Ludger, Jude and Milla, this dimension – or rather, this world that they entered was going to be an entirely new adventure for them.

 **CHAPTER END**


	2. CHAPTER 2: THE PRISON FORTRESS

**A/N: Hey guys, I bring to you all the new update for this story! Oh man, playing ToB has just revitalized my desire to write. However I'm slightly burnt now after finishing this up in just three days, so I might take a little break after this.**  
 **Anyway on to responding to reviews!**

 **Roxas Blaze: It's really nice to see that you keep up with most of my stories XD it really means a lot**  
 **-Yup, I'm also enjoying the ToB cast which is why I just needed to write this story. But since I also love ToX, I thought "why not mix them in?" Unfortunately considering the ToX cast is pretty huge, I decided to only limit the main characters - hence Jude, Milla and Ludger only.**  
 **-The story takes place between Chapter 11 and 12 of ToX2, so Ludger's Chromatus is only level II at this point.**  
 **-I'll try and see what I can do about that. Honestly I feel ToB doesn't really have a romance angle, so the only one at this point is Jude and Milla.**

 **NoNameAvailable Bis: I understand and agree. I'll definitely make sure the ToX cast don't grab the spotlight. However since them entering the ToB universe will spark some changes, I will have to write about them here and there to show the differences between ToB on its own and how ToX entering the ToB universe will spark changes in the plot, relationship between characters, skits etc**

 **chronotimeguard: Oh wow, it's been a while since I last heard from you! Yup, I'm just so pumped about ToB right now that I just had to write a story about it. But I still love ToX so I decided to incorporate the two asap.**  
 **-Ah yes I guess it was a rather forced interaction. My bad. Probably from me rushing to publish the story, which was a mistake.**  
 **-It still applies to a certain extent. Basically Milla's body is made up like the malakhims and since malakhim have no problem existing, Milla has no time limit really.**  
 **-Ludger having guns will definitely be an interesting point for the ToB cast and world to react to. The GHS I doubt will be used much or at all, so I don't think Ludger will actually reveal it.**  
 **-Definitely looking forward to what kind of relationship I can develop for Milla and Velvet, so look forward to that.**  
 **-I'm not exactly sure which Tales games had similar lore? I know Symphonia was a distant prequel to Phantasia, ToB and ToZ share the same world. But other than that, I'm not sure how other Tales games have similar lore. Abyss was about Fonons and stuff, Graces had Sophie coming from another world as a plot, ToX was different... yeahhh**

 **gundam 09: Here's your update!**

 **Justin: I'm glad the story is considered a great find for you. Hope I can live up to your expectations**

 **guest00: It's pretty difficult to create a pairing between the ToB cast since they all share mutual respect but there wasn't a lot of romantic moments for them. Of course as the author, I can try to legitly pair them up, so I'll see how the story takes me**

 **Null-Nature: Yes, I will try and make it a point to not make the ToX overshadow ToB. I plan to keep everyone on the spotlight. Of course considering that ToX is from a different world, I'd like to put some focus on how their entrance to ToB change some aspects of the plot and character relationships, so yeah**

 **SonicProdigy55: Ah, I see. How far are you into the game? If you've just started, I can definitely understand you wanting to avoid this story for now. But if you're more than 10 hours in, you should be fine as I don't think I can update as quick.**  
 **-Hopefully I can deliver with what I want with this story. I'm definitely loving the ToB world, plot and the entire cast, so I just couldn't help but mix in the ToX cast. However I could only include Jude, Milla and Ludger, the main characters from ToX as I don't want to cram too many characters in one story. ALTHOUGH I might include more characters later on through certain plot points since ToB does have a pirate crew, so the others could become a part of the crew. But that's just overthinking at this point.**  
 **-Yup, Milla and Velvet's relationship is something I am very interested in investing on. Since they're quite similar to a certain extent, it's going to be interesting to write up their conversations.**  
 **-Good luck with completing ToB! Hopefully you'll like this story!**

 **Well that's it for responding to reviews. I hope you guys will enjoy this new chapter and do let me know your thoughts of the new chapter or how the story is coming along. Till next time!**

 **CHAPTER 2: THE PRISON FORTRESS**

"Stop!"

Velvet was halfway climbing the ladder when Seres's commanding voice boomed from below her. Velvet looked down but instead of finding Seres explaining something trivial, she found Seres moving her right arm around. On the tip of her fingertips was a bright, yellow ball of light of some sort. After Seres stopped moving her arm, a few seconds later, an invisible barrier just above Velvet shattered.

Velvet remained nonchalant about it and once she was sure the barrier was lifted, continued her climb without giving thanks.

Seres looked under her and saw that Jude, Milla and Ludger were following her.

"I understand you all have questions, but be patient for now." Seres said. Seres resumed her climb with Jude and his two companions following him.

Once Seres got out, Velvet was waiting for her.

"You mentioned you are no longer _his_ malak, and I don't care either way." Velvet said to the red-haired malak, "Just tell me where Artorius is."

"…He's at the capital city of Loegres, in Midgand."

Satisfied with the answer, Velvet turned around and walked away. So before Velvet could walk far, Seres spoke again.

"Is that all you wish to know?" Seres questioned Velvet, "Don't you want to know what it was you saw _that_ night?"

That definitely caught Velvet's attention, stopping her in her tracks. At the same time, Jude, Ludger and Milla just got out of the dungeon pit and were listening to Seres's words.

Now that Seres managed to grab Velvet's interest, she continued, " _That_ ritual you saw him perform, it shifted the very course of the world. A host of malakhim descended, and with their strength, the emergent Exorcist quelled the daemon tide. Now, _he_ serves as leader of the Exorcists' Abbey, an institution that enjoys the unconditional faith of the Kingdom and public. A shield to guard the people and a sword against daemons. Artorius Collbrande, the world's savior."

Ludger and Jude listened to the whole thing but could not comprehend a single thing that Seres just said. This just solidified the fact that this fractured dimension they entered was really a completely different world.

As for Milla, the only thing she picked up from Seres's explanation to Velvet was the word malakhim. Milla recalled that Seres accidentally referred to the Great Four spirits as Milla's malakhim. So Milla safely assumed that a Great Spirit was perhaps similar to this world's so-called malakhim.

Velvet continued to stare ahead as she venomously replied, "The world's savior… with power stolen by sacrificing Laphicet."

"Indeed. But his power is not yet absolute. The man can still be killed."

"Good. I don't care what the world thinks of me. What matters is my vengeance against Artorius, that's all."

Seres nodded, "If you want your vengeance, your first step will be to escape this place."

"I am well aware of that." Velvet replied and walked ahead.

Seres was relieved that at least Velvet seemed to be cooperative, even if she still didn't trust her. Seres turned around and faced the trio of outsiders. "If you've been listening, then I imagine you have a picture of what situation we are in right now."

"You mentioned 'escape' so… I'm guessing we're in some sort of prison?" Jude guessed.

Seres nodded, "To be exact, we're on a prison island. I understand you three are confused, so I'll try and explain what I can while we move forward."

Seres followed where Velvet went with Jude, Ludger and Milla following close behind. Since Seres offered to explain what she could, Jude was the first to ask.

"Seres, you said you sensed we're not from _this_ world. So, uh… what can you tell us about your world?" Jude asked.

Seres thought about how to answer for a few seconds. When she had it, she explained, "Our world is divided into several continents and the only means of travelling to each is by ship."

"So there's a country on each continent?" Ludger asked.

Seres shook her head, "No. All of the continents are under the control of the Midgand Empire."

"The whole world under one government?" Milla questioned in an amused tone.

"Correct. I assume this is not the case in your world, but the majority of the people in our world pour their unconditional faith and love towards the Empire – and the Abbey."

Jude recollected his thoughts, "I think I heard you mention to, uh… what's her name? Velvet? Yeah, I think I heard you mention the Abbey to Velvet. What is this Abbey?"

"It's an organization or something, right?" Ludger added.

"…To explain the Abbey as an organization, I have to explain first what happened to our world ten years ago."

"You said you'd tell us what we needed to know. Even if it's a complicated one, we need to understand – so that we can fit the puzzle." Milla said.

Seres nodded, "Very well. Ten years ago, our world changed when an event now known as the _'Opening'_ occurred. Under the _'Opening'_ , our world suffered under a disease called the Daemonblight – a disease that causes humans to transform into blood-thirsty daemons. Daemons are powerful monsters, so ordinary humans lack the strength to fight them. The only ones capable of defeating daemons are Exorcists. For the next seven years after the _'Opening'_ , humanity was barely surviving. Exorcists numbers were too little to deal with the situation."

"So what happened then?" Ludger asked.

"On the seventh anniversary of the _'Opening'_ , an Exorcist used a ritual to combat the daemons. This ritual, known as the _'Advent'_ , summoned a host of malakhims to the world. After the ' _Advent'_ , the Exorcist managed to quell the daemon situation and the Abbey organization was founded. Three years has passed since the ' _Advent'_ , and the Abbey's influence is equal – or even stronger than that of the Midgand Empire's influence."

Jude compressed the information quickly, "So the Abbey is an organization of Exorcists that is dealing with the daemon situation the world is facing. I guess I can see why the people are so supportive of them."

"I assume the Abbey serves the Midgand Empire then." Milla guessed.

"Correct. The Abbey was a branch of the church of the Midgand Empire but since the Abbey essentially saved the world from daemons, the King of the Midgand Empire has given the Abbey full authority to do what is necessary."

Ludger crossed his arms, "I guess now it makes sense why the Midgand Empire's able to control the whole world. With the Abbey serving the Empire, they're basically the saviors of the world."

Jude nodded, "Yeah... but Seres said the Abbey's influence is greater than the Empire itself, so I guess it's not wrong to say that it's actually the Abbey that's in control."

"You understand then." Seres remarked, "Now you can see how it is possible for the world to be under one power."

It was a load of information for the trio but they now had a clearer picture of the world. Unlike Rieze Maxia and Elympios, this world was under the threat of daemons. It was only thanks to the Abbey and its Exorcists that they now managed to get the situation under control.

Milla then raised another question to Seres, "You've explained to us a brief recent history of your world, but I want to know something else. Earlier, you mistakenly addressed the Great Four as malakhims. Also, I believe I heard you refer yourself as a malak as well. And you told us how the ' _Advent'_ was when malakhims were introduced to this world. So what exactly is a malakhim?"

Seres did not answer then. She gestured for the trio to keep up as Velvet was far ahead at that point. Considering that they were still in a prison island, they still had to be wary of guards. When they finally caught up with Velvet, Seres decided to continue her explanation to the outsiders.

Seres faced Milla, "To put it simply, the malakhims, or malak, are a race of supernatural spirits formed from spiritual energy and live alongside humans. We are normally affiliated to a certain element – fire, earth, wind or water."

Milla's eyes widened, "So that is why you mistook the Great Four as malakhims since each of them represented an element."

"Yes."

Ludger then asked another question, "Okay so basically malakhims are like spirits from our world. And you said you're a malak too. But something else has been bothering me. You said the ' _Advent'_ was when malakhims came to this world. What's that mean? You said you live with humans but you make it sound like the _'Advent'_ was the malakhims first appeared."

"I apologize. I did not explain it clearly. You see, before the _'Advent'_ , malakhims were invisible to humans. We have existed alongside humans for a long time but humans never really knew of our existence. After the ' _Advent'_ , something shifted in the world and we malakhims were no longer hidden – humans could see, touch, hear and talk to us malakhims. It was with the aid of our powers that allow the Exorcists to become powerful and defeat daemons."

"I see. This world is pretty complex." Jude said in awe.

"Another fact I should add." Seres said towards Milla, "One other reason why I mistook your ' _spirits'_ as malakhims is because they seem tethered to you."

"Tethered to me?" Milla repeated.

"Yes. It is how Exorcists utilize a malakhim for its powers. The human acts as a vessel for a malakhim and form a contract. After the contract is formed, a malakhim serves the human vessel and reside within the vessel to rest – just like what I saw you did."

The trio now had a clear understanding of some important aspects of this world. In a sense, this world almost shared certain similarities to Rieze Maxia, at least in regards to spirits and malakhims.

"I think that's all we need to know for now." Ludger said to Seres, "You said we're on a prison island, right? Our priority now should be getting out of here and working together. Once we escape, we'll decide if we will go our separate ways or not."

"…Understood."

Jude and Milla knew why Ludger suggested the idea of going their separate ways. In the end, this world probably still functioned like a fractured dimension – meaning they needed to find the divergence catalyst and destroy it. But since they had no idea where they are, except that they are on a prison island, their best course of action was to work together with Seres and the black-haired woman known as Velvet. The only thing in common they share at the moment was the desire to escape.

But before Seres forgot, she had one last thing to address to the trio. "After we escape from here, I believe it is only fair you answer a question I have for you."

Milla gave the okay. "What is it?"

"I want to know what your purpose is for coming to this world."

"…Very well."

Seres nodded and that was the seal for the agreement. With that out of the way, the trio rejoined Seres and Velvet in sneaking through the prison fortress.

"With those three, it should be easier for us to escape if we work together." Seres said to Velvet.

Velvet delivered a death glare at the red-haired malak, "That doesn't matter to me. If either of you becomes a liability to my escape, I'll leave you."

Seres did not respond but it was clear she understood. Ludger, Jude and Milla also heard Velvet's warning.

Velvet led the group, moving quickly but silently through the shadows of the dungeons, her ears on full alert to pick up even the slightest noise. She had waited three years for a way out, so there was no way she was going to let this opportunity slip past her.

However to Velvet's surprise, there were no sign of any guards. No Exorcists or regular human guards were in sight. When they climbed the stairs to the next floor, the hallways and corridors were pretty much empty. It almost looked like they were running into a trap.

As the group of five progressed through the prison fortress, they finally arrived upon a door. When they opened it, it was discovered that the room was an armory as stashes of weapons and armors were seen around the room. And at the center of the room were two guards, unconscious.

Seres was perplexed, "No one raised the alarm."

"I can see that." Velvet said nonchalantly.

"Good. Take what you need from here." Seres instructed and Velvet obeyed. She went towards the chests of weapons and armor to equip whatever she found useful. Seres then turned towards the trio, "What about you three? If there's anything you need, you should take them."

Jude shook his head, "We already have our weapons with us. We'll watch the door for you."

Jude and Ludger went towards the door and kept watch while Milla just observed the room.

Seres joined Velvet in scouring around the armory, trying to find anything useful they might need in their escape. The black-haired young woman then spotted a rather large chest in the corner of the room and opened it, discovering the chest to be rather full.

Seres approached Velvet and saw the chest full of items. "It looks like they kept prisoners' effects in here."

Velvet spotted something and took it out. "Rope. This will be useful." Velvet then took out something else and revealed it to be a rather huge katana still in its sheath. "…Quite a blade."

Seres eyed the sword and was taken aback when she identified it, "I know that sword – Stormhowl! What is it doing here?"

"Well, it's too big for me." Velvet said plainly.

"You're not taking it? It's a celebrated masterpiece!"

"And if I can't use it, it's worthless."

Seres still felt it was a waste however. Stormhowl was a legendary sword and would definitely boost their strength as a group. It was then she remembered Ludger wielded a pair of dual blades as his weapons.

Seres called out to the young Kresnik, "Ludger! Can you use this sword?"

Ludger approached the red-haired woman and inspected the sword. Then he shook his head, "Sorry but I'm not trained to use double-handed weapons like this."

"I see. That's a shame."

Ludger turned to Velvet and saw the black-haired woman pull out an outfit from the chest. It seems to have caught Velvet's eye and Ludger just watched on. When Velvet sensed that Ludger's eyes were still on her, she glared at him.

"I need to change. Take your eyes elsewhere." Velvet ordered.

"H-huh? Oh! S-Sorry!"

Ludger blushed deep red and quickly returned to Jude's side and watching the door for guards. As for Milla, she just kept watching and Velvet didn't really mind considering she was female as well. However Milla unconsciously took note that Velvet was rather endowed on the chest – rather similar to herself actually.

"Alright, I'm done." Velvet announced.

Jude turned around and was not expecting Velvet's choice of outfit. She wore a revealing ruby-red corset which exposed her midriff. Over the corset was a black jacket that acted like a robe with red-velvet lacing. Below, she had shorts and wore protective armor on her footwear with an extra armor plate on her right shin. For her weapon, she had a gauntlet blade located on her right wrist. Her bandaged left arm was left untouched.

When Jude finally registered that Velvet was barely clothed, he blushed. One factor was that Velvet was already a beautiful woman but another reason was – she really looked like Milla to some extent. Velvet could honestly be passed on as a sister or relative to Milla.

Velvet noticed Jude staring and glared at him, "What?"

Jude quickly looked away and thought up an excuse, "N-Nothing! It's just that, I… well, I'm thinking that you'd catch a cold in that sort of outfit. A-And, um… it doesn't really feel like it will protect you."

Velvet scoffed, "You don't have to worry about that. I'm a daemon. I don't feel cold or hot. And as for protection, isn't it the same for your friend?"

Velvet was referring to the fact that Milla also wore a rather tight, white dress that offered little protection.

As Jude stumbled for an excuse, Velvet's statement caught Milla's ears. "You're a daemon? I was under the impression that daemons are mindless monsters that attack humans." Milla pointed out.

Velvet turned to Milla, "Most daemons, yes. However I'm a daemon that retained most of my human characteristics and personality. As to how and why, I don't know. And I don't care either ways."

Milla said nothing and the topic died there. Seeing that Velvet was armed and ready, Seres approached the black-haired woman.

"Are you ready?" Seres asked.

Velvet nodded, drawing out her gauntlet blade and inspecting it. "Is there a ship waiting?"

"So, you're aware that we're on an island."

"I heard you tell those three that this is a prison island." Velvet said and continued, "But even if you didn't explain it to them, I already knew beforehand."

"How did you find out?"

Velvet looked down at her bandaged arm and answered, "…Daemons say lots of things when they don't want you to eat them."

"...About the ship, the prison has docks at both the front and rear entrances. Our ship is on the backside."

"Got it. The back docks."

Ludger was still keeping watch and asked without taking his eyes away, "So are we ready?"

"Yeah, let's move." Velvet said.

Once again, Velvet took charge and led the group through the prison fortress. A few seconds passed when they found a staircase going upstairs. After making sure that there were no guards around, the party climbed the steps and arrived on the next floor of the basement.

The small party continued moving forward for a little bit longer when Velvet and Seres suddenly stopped. Ludger, Milla and Jude quickly came to a halt, waiting for instructions.

Seres could hear faint footsteps in the distance and told the group, "Guards coming. Two of them."

"What should we do? Fight them?" Ludger whispered from behind.

Velvet pointed at the corner of a wall, "Over there."

Although it wasn't the best hiding spot, so long as the guards did not enter the corridor, they would remain undetected. Velvet would prefer to avoid any combat with the guards as that would mean alerting the whole fortress of their presence.

Velvet and the group saw two guards dressed in white armor. While Seres knew them as Exorcists, Velvet and the trio didn't as they have never seen an Exorcist's official attire.

"Did you hear?" One of the Exorcist guards spoke, "The path around the island is off-limits now. They say the ground's weak and could collapse."

The other Exorcist guard replied, "The path that goes under the watchtower? That's all right, nobody uses it anyway."

"True, but it was a nice shortcut to the docks."

Just then, another Exorcist guard came running up to the pair. "You guys! A number of guards have gone missing. It appears that we have intruders on the island."

The Exorcist that spoke first quickly gave out orders, "All Exorcists, break into two groups and converge at the front and rear gates. Stay sharp!"

"Yes sir! No one will get past us."

The two Exorcists then ran towards the west wing of the prison fortress while the one that alerted the pair ran in the opposite direction to relay the orders from his superior. Once Velvet was sure the Exorcists were gone, she spoke.

"They mentioned a shortcut to the docks under the watchtower." Velvet said.

Seres gave a troubled look, "What bothered me were the intruders they mentioned. I snuck in here without alerting or defeating the guards, yet we found those unconscious guards in the armory earlier."

"Then that means there's another intruder besides us." Jude concluded.

Velvet nodded, "And that puts the guards on high alert. This adds nothing but trouble for us."

"Things just got more difficult for us now." Seres said.

Velvet folded her arms around her chest, "Then we'll need reinforcements of our own. Where are the cells?"

"They should be on this floor. You plan on involving the other prisoners?"

"I'll use any tool that I have at my disposal."

Jude looked at Velvet, "But how are you going to get the prisoners to agree to work together?"

"I don't need them to work with us. I just need them to act as a distraction, that's all." Velvet answered simply.

Without waiting for a respond, Velvet began her search for the prison cells with Seres close behind her. Ludger nodded in appreciation, "Guess she meant it when she said she'd use any tool at her disposal."

"Then we should be careful with her." Milla advised, "She's only working with us so long as we are of use to her. Until we escape this prison cell, we'll need her help."

Ludger and Jude agreed. The trio then quickly caught up with Velvet and Seres, resuming their search for the prison cells.

 **Skit: Milla's look-alike  
Present: Velvet, Seres, Jude, Ludger & Milla**

 **Velvet: Hurry up! We don't have time to waste! *Moves away***

 **Jude: Hmm…**

 **Ludger: What's wrong Jude? Something on your mind?**

 **Jude: Ludger, you must see it too right? That girl, Velvet… she shares some similarities to Milla.**

 **Ludger: *Thinking* Hmm… Well, I guess they both have really long hair, but Velvet's hair is much thicker – and longer too. I'm not sure what else though.**

 **Jude: You just never knew Milla when she first appeared. *Passionately* I mean, the way Velvet only cares about getting to her objective, not caring about us and using anything she can to succeed – that's just like Milla when she only cared for her mission!**

 **Milla: …Was I like that?**

 **Seres: Hey, quit the chatter. We don't want to alert the guards now, do we? What are you talking about anyway?**

 **Jude: I… I just comparing Velvet and Milla and can't help but see they look so similar.**

 **Seres: *Deep silence for a few seconds* …Yes, I guess I can see some similarities. The hair, the eyes and the aura around them. There's also the –**

 **Velvet: *Returns* Continue with the chit-chat and the guards will find us! Get a move on!**

 **Jude & Ludger: R-Right *Leaves quickly* *Seres calmly leaves* *Velvet leaves***

 **Milla: …Maybe I did do something like that from time to time.**

It didn't take the group too long before they arrived at a rather large hallway with three main doors. Each of the three main doors had a protective seal placed on them, most likely by Exorcists. Physical brute force would not be able to break through the protective seal.

Velvet checked through a wide peephole on each of the main doors and found what she was looking for. It was a corridor of prison cells. Inside each prison cells contained captured criminals and even daemons. For Velvet, these prisoners and daemons would work perfectly as a distraction.

Velvet's gaze switched to Seres and the red-haired malak gave a nod, signifying she could break the protective seals on the main doors. With that in mind, Velvet began her plan.

"Listen up!" Velvet called out, "I'm opening every door to every cell! We're getting off this island!"

"What the hell? You serious?" A voice said from one of the prison cells.

"You're joking!" Another prisoner exclaimed.

Velvet continued, "Split into two groups and rush the front and rear gates! Break through the gates, and you'll have a ship!"

"T-That's impossible!" A prisoner cried, "No one's ever broken out of this prison before! No one except that pirate, Van Aifread!"

Another prisoner added, "And he didn't pull it off on his own. I heard he had help from some old fart Exorcist named Melchior or something."

Velvet remained silent for a bit, analyzing the new bit of information. She registered the names Aifread and Melchior into her mind, feeling that the names could prove useful.

Velvet stepped away from the main doors, "I won't force you. You want to rot in here, then rot!"

Velvet and the group could hear hush whispers and murmurs coming from the prison cells. Only five seconds passed before the prisoners came to a decision.

"We're with you!" A prisoner declared.

"That's right!" Another prisoner exclaimed, "Anything's better than another day in this hell!"

"Let's do it!"

Now that they obtained the prisoners cooperation, Velvet gave the go-ahead to Seres. The red-haired malak nodded and, just like how she dispelled the barrier in Velvet's prison pit earlier, she moved her arm to the left with a ball of light on her fingertips. Simultaneously, the three protective seals on the three main prison doors were destroyed. Once these three were destroyed, the other protective seal on each individual prison cell was also broken, freeing the prisoners and daemons.

The moment the protective seal was broken, all of the prisoners and daemons stormed out of their cages, running past Velvet and her group. The plan she mentioned earlier was forgotten. The only thing on the mind of the prisoners was their freedom.

Milla watched the entire prisoners make for the exit until they were the only ones left. "They aren't following the plan you suggested to them. Is that all right?"

"I guess we shouldn't be surprised the prisoners wouldn't follow the plan." Ludger remarked, "But at least they will be a distraction."

"He's right. Everything's still fine." Velvet said, "With them causing such a ruckus, it will definitely draw the guard's attention. In the meantime, we'll search for that watchtower. From there we can follow the outer path to the docks. Let's get moving."

Velvet made her way towards the exit and her companions followed. The small group only made a couple of steps when a feminine voice spoke from behind them.

"Dear me, not even a word of apology?"

The group turned around and was surprised to find a young woman with long, pale-blonde hair and green eyes. Her attire was a corset-like dress with a colorful selection of pink and black. She wore a jester-like hat that complimented her corset colors. Her skirt however was what looked weird as it was just a belt with small hooks that holds five locked-books.

"W-Who…? Who are…?" Ludger tried to ask but the young woman interrupted.

"What is WRONG with you people?" The woman cried out, although her tone was more of amusement rather than angry, "There I was, sleeping like a sweet babe, when suddenly... from paradise down to hell! No, worse! A grimy, prison cell… you see why I'm not feeling well."

Velvet, Seres, and the trio were taken aback by the young woman's rather hyper way of speaking considering the situation they were in.

"And you are…?" Seres questioned.

The woman clapped her hands together, grinned and did extravagant poses as she spoke, "Hooray, you asked! I'm thrilled to introduce you to the wise sorceress who travels the eleven seas, who scoffs at the might of dragons, none other than the acclaimed, the illustrious – Mazhigika Miludin do Din Nolurun Dou!" The young woman finally moved into a final pose, "Magilou for short!"

"…Maggie-lou?" Velvet uttered out, extremely confused.

"No! 'Mah', like 'soggy shoe' or 'doggie doo' or 'call me any of those things and I'll turn you into a froggy stew'!"

Velvet could not comprehend what the young woman before her just said. Seres and Milla also said nothing.

"W-What? I'm so confused…" Jude said in resignation.

The young woman sighed, "I suppose people like you will never understand. Hmph! People can be so tragically unlearned." The woman turned around and started walking away, "Not like I care…"

The strange young woman turned around a corner and was gone.

"…What the heck just happened?" Ludger demanded with a confused look.

Velvet sighed and moved on, "Doesn't matter. Let's continue on."

"Who do you think is she?" Jude wondered aloud.

Milla turned to Jude, "I believe she said her name was Mazhigika Miludin do Din -"

Jude quickly interjected "N-No, I don't mean her name. I mean, is she a fellow prisoner? Or was she a guard?"

"If she was a guard, she'd have alerted the others. She's most likely a prisoner as well." Seres reasoned. She then turned towards Milla, "I'm surprised you managed to remember that strange girl's name."

"…She was interesting." Milla commented.

"Guys, let's go. We need to catch up with Velvet." Ludger said. The black-haired woman was already far ahead.

Once the four caught up with Velvet, they followed her as she led the way through the prison fortress. As they continued moving, they could hear the clash between the guards and Exorcists against the escaped prisoners and daemons. This would buy Velvet's group at least a few minutes to freely explore through the castle quickly without too much worry.

When the small party entered another hallway, they heard the sound of swords clashing nearby. Velvet gestured her companions to be cautious as they advanced closer. Suddenly the body of an Exorcist soldier flew past them, as if knocked backwards by a powerful force. When the Exorcist reached the ground, he was already unconscious.

Velvet and her companions checked to see what was going on. To their surprise, they found not only the unmoving bodies of Exorcist guards but also daemons and prisoners. Whoever had done this was not on the side of the prison guards or the prisoners. Then they saw him.

The assailant had his back facing the group but they could tell it was a man with mid-length, spiky black hair tied into a ponytail. His outfit comprised of woven robes, pile-lilac samurai pants and black legwarmers. Draped over his woven robes was a dark purple robe tied around his waist. He also had what appeared to be a chest-plate guard for his torso and a plated shoulder-guard.

"More?" The man said without turning around. He could sense Velvet's group. When he received no answer, he turned around and the party saw that although his hair covered the right-side of his face, his right eye was shining bright red. There were even visible markings on the right side of his face.

Seres took a cautious step back, "This man… he's a daemon! Get ready!"

Sensing an impending fight, the man took out his weapons – a pair of dual blades. Velvet also revealed her weapon, the blade coming out of the gauntlet. Jude raised his fists and Milla unsheathed her sword. She felt there was no need to summon the Great Four unless she needed to. Ludger decided to mirror the assailant, taking out his own dual blades.

The man noted Ludger's weapons, "So… you're the same type huh?"

Ludger moved into an offensive stance, "Not the way we wield our weapons though."

"Guess that's true."

"Let's go!" Velvet cried.

Even though he was outnumbered, the man did not stay on the defensive and charged towards Velvet and her companions. Velvet engaged first, thrusting her blade forward but the man blocked the attack with his right blade and unleashing a counter-attack with his left. Velvet could dodge the attack but Jude had her covered, appearing by her side and smashing his fist on the man's forearm, forcing the attack to miss.

Milla and Ludger used this opportunity to attack with Milla attacking from the side and Ludger leaping overhead, landing behind the man and attack the man's blind spot. The man already had both blades occupied with Jude and Ludger so he twisted his body and threw a kick. Milla blocked it with her sword and using the momentum, tumbled to his right, successfully dodging Ludger's attack. The man then backed off, taking this moment to recover.

Velvet, Milla, Jude and Ludger also regrouped. Seres never joined the fight as she planned to support the group with artes from afar. The short exchange with the man only lasted less than ten seconds but that short exchange was intense enough.

"…He's strong." Velvet commented.

Jude agreed, "Yeah. He was quick enough to stop Milla and Ludger's attacks even though we had him occupied. He's going to be difficult."

The man also shared the same thought. Even though it was a short skirmish, he could tell that Velvet, Jude, Milla and Ludger were individually skilled opponents. He thought they would be pushovers like the Exorcist guards and daemons, but he was wrong. Now he was fighting them four versus one. He was heavily disadvantaged.

The man then noticed his blades condition were weary. "Chips in the blade already? Brittle, these Exorcist knives. I've got to reclaim Stormhowl."

Velvet picked up on that, "Stormhowl? That sword we found?"

The instant the man heard Velvet say that, his whole aura changed. His immediately dropped his guard and tossed the Exorcist daggers away, running straight towards Velvet.

"You found it?!" The man asked excitedly, grabbing Velvet by the shoulders. His whole character changed that Velvet, Jude and everyone did not know how to react. "Where did you see it? Do you have it? Please, tell me!"

"…It's in the armory… Down below." Velvet answered.

"Down below? You have my thanks!"

The man gave a quick bow of appreciation and ran off, leaving Velvet and her companions utterly confused at the change of development.

"…He's an odd daemon." Velvet commented, staring in the direction their attacker ran off.

Milla shifted her posture, "It was strange indeed, but I believe it was the best outcome. If we had continued fighting, we wouldn't be leaving the fight unscathed."

"Agreed."

"Let's hurry on." Jude suggested, "If things settle down with the prison guards, we'll miss our chance."

Velvet nodded, "You're right. Let's go. We need to find that watchtower."

The small party quickly moved onwards, searching for the tower that the Exorcist guards mentioned. It took them a minute but they finally found the path that would take them to the watchtower. When they finally arrived, they found a ladder which would take them to the top of the watchtower.

The group didn't waste time, quickly climbing the ladder. They were halfway climbing up the ladder when they heard a nearby Exorcist claim that they almost had the situation under control, meaning Velvet and her companions' time was running short.

The party finally reached the top of the watchtower and climbed out, finally breaking to the outside of the prison fortress. A heavy rainfall was pouring and for Velvet, it was a welcome experience as she had not stepped foot outside of the prison for three years.

"…Okay, so how do we escape?" Ludger asked, "I don't see the shortcut the guards mentioned!"

As it turns out, the group was trapped. The top of the watchtower was technically a dead end as there was nowhere else to go. Around them was the mountain and down below were most likely rocks or the freezing waters.

Seres searched around before she spoke, "The path has collapsed. That rope won't do any good here."

"There has to be some other way we can use!" Jude exclaimed. He was not going to give up just yet.

Milla checked around and saw a path below the watchtower, "I see a path over there. It's quite a distance however."

Jude looked at where Milla referred to and shook his head, "That's too far for us. There's no way we can make the jump!"

Velvet looked at the path Milla found and found that to be her only option. She transformed her left arm into its demonic form again, staring at it. For her, this was her only ticket out of here.

Velvet took a deep breath and stepped up towards the edge of the watchtower, preparing to jump. It took Seres a second before she realized what Velvet was planning to do.

"Wait! You're not seriously going to try it, are you?" Seres questioned.

"He fell further than this back at the shrine." Velvet answered plainly. Only Seres understood the meaning of that.

Jude saw in Velvet's eyes that she was dead serious about doing the jump. He quickly stepped forward, "Velvet, don't do it! It's suicide! And even if you make it, what about us?"

"That's your problem, not mine." Velvet responded, shocking Jude. "I'd rather take my chances here than getting captured."

Then without a moment's hesitation, she turned back and jumped off from the watchtower. Seres, Jude, Ludger and Milla watched as Velvet glided downwards through the air, the heavy rain making it hard to get her bearings. Once she was close to the mountains, she threw her demonic arm out towards the mountain and grabbed it. Since her demonic arm had claws, she was able to hold onto the mountain as she fell. This way she was able to maneuver her fall.

Once she was a few meters above the pathway, she leaped off from the mountainside. She crashed and tumbled hard on the muddy path, crying out in pain as she slid through the path for a short distance before finally stopping. She slowly got back up to her feet, panting lightly. She made it, but she did not make it out unscathed as she had dislocated her right shoulder from the fall.

"She truly is committed to this." Seres said in admiration then turned towards the trio, "What about you three? Will you make the jump?"

"We don't exactly have a choice. Turning back will mean facing the prison guards who are trying to round up the rioters. We have to jump." Milla said.

"I hope to see all three of you then."

Seres dispersed into a burst of flames and faded into thin air. The trio assumed it was most likely a teleportation arte since she was a malak with the power of fire.

"What do we do? Is jumping across the only way?" Jude asked.

Milla summoned Sylph and the Great Spirit of wind revealed its physical form at Milla's side. "I can use Sylph to carry me downwards. If that's the only way, I can ask Sylph to pick you two one by one after me."

Ludger disagreed, "We won't make it. The prison guards are on their way here. We have to make the jump now."

"Do you have a plan?"

Ludger nodded, "I'll do what Velvet did."

Without waiting for Jude or Milla to ask what he meant, Ludger took out his pocket watch and transformed into his level one Chromatus form with the black Chromatus armor covering his arms and the lance appearing.

Ludger offered his free hand to his friend, "Come on Jude. You can't make the jump, so you'll have to hold me when we jump."

Jude wanted to argue but the sound of the prison guards below the watchtower told him that they were running out of time.

Jude gave a nod, "Okay, let's go."

So while Milla just had Sylph use an arte to float downwards to the muddy pathway below, Ludger grabbed Jude with his left hand and jumped off the watchtower. With the additional weight of Jude, Ludger's fall was faster and the young Kresnik had to act fast. Just like Velvet who used her demonic arm, Ludger plunged his lance into the mountains, allowing him to maneuver his fall. Once they were above the pathway, Ludger jumped but his timing was a little off and landed hard on his back but Jude managed to land on his feet.

"Ludger!" Jude cried out, rushing towards his friend and immediately applied healing artes. Due to his injury, Ludger dispelled his Chromatus form automatically.

Milla landed a few seconds later and Sylph dispelled his physical form, returning into Milla's consciousness. Milla saw Jude treating Ludger and Seres treating Velvet's dislocated shoulder. Since Velvet was occupied with having her injuries treated, she didn't see Ludger's Chromatus form.

After Seres was done treating Velvet, she stepped back, "You're strong. I would almost think you made an _'oath'_. It's a ritual that grants special powers if the oath-taker abides by certain restrictions. The harsher the restrictions, the greater power one may command. In a very real sense, an oath is a sort of…"

"Curse, right?" Velvet interjected. Seres could only respond with silence. Velvet turned around, "Well guess what? You're the ones who did this to me."

"…I am aware. That is why I chose you."

Now that everyone made it past the watchtower, they were safe from the guards for the time being. That was why instead of rushing forward, Velvet approached the three outsiders from another world. Jude was just finishing up treating Ludger.

"I must admit, I didn't think you'd make it." Velvet said to the trio.

Milla crossed her arms, "Don't worry about us. We can keep up."

A small hint of a smile actually grew on Velvet, "That's what I like to hear. Once you're ready, we'll continue."

"I thought you said you'd leave us if we slowed you down."

"After making that jump from the watchtower, I'm not foolish enough to abandon useful allies like yourselves – especially since we haven't escaped yet."

"And what about after we've escaped from the island?" Milla asked.

"...That depends. We can discuss about that later." Velvet said and ended the conversation with Milla.

Velvet only had to wait for another minute before Ludger fully recovered. So with Velvet leading the group, they quickly passed through the muddy pathway. At the end of the pathway was a door back into the prison fortress.

Once back inside the prison fortress, it took a while before Seres recognized their location. However to her surprise, Velvet was headed in the direction towards the main entrance.

"Are you sure? This way leads to the main entrance." Seres cautioned.

"The guards most likely have found your ship by now. They expect us at the rear, not the front." Velvet retorted.

Seres couldn't argue with that and trusted Velvet's judgment. Thankfully there were no sign of prison guards or Exorcists, meaning that they were probably still trying to quell the rioters. Time was running out but Velvet's group was only a short distance away from freedom.

They entered another corridor and saw a door at the end. After passing through that door, Velvet's group entered a rather large hall. On the other end of the hall was a large, wooden double-sided door. It was the main entrance!

"We're almost there!" Seres said.

Velvet's heart was thumping in anticipation at the thought of making her escape. It was one step closer to her vengeance against Artorius. However she and her companions were only halfway through the hall when a voice spoke out.

"That's far enough."

Velvet and her group stopped in their tracks. A young man with blonde hair dressed in Exorcist clothes and a cape stepped up. By his side were two malaks, signifying his strength as an Exorcist.

Seres easily identified the man, "Oscar… I had no idea an Exorcist praetor had been assigned to this island."

Velvet eyed the young man known as Oscar up. At first glance, she felt the young man would not be too difficult of an opponent.

"You surprise me, Seres." Oscar said, "Aiding criminals now, are you? Did Lord Artorius request this?"

"…No. I'm acting on my own."

"A malak with free will?" Oscar questioned with surprise. He then shifted an accusing gaze to Velvet, "And yet… I sense someone's strings guiding you."

Velvet prepared to move for battle but Seres was quick to stop her.

"Hold on. A praetor is far more dangerous than an orderly." Seres warned.

"I'm all out of subterfuge." Velvet said, "And besides, if we can't overpower this one, our end goal was hopeless to begin with."

Oscar narrowed his eyes, "You're a daemon, but still a lady, so I'll show you due respect. I am Oscar Dragonia, praetor of the Abbey of the Holy Midgand Empire."

Velvet refused to answer however, remaining silent.

"Very well then, ' _Graceless Daemon'_ it is then." Oscar said and then turning towards Milla, "And what about you? Do you have the common courtesy to share your name?"

Milla shifted in her posture, "I am Milla Maxwell, Lord of Spirits – although I am not sure that title exists in this world."

"Lord of Spirits? I don't believe a title like that exists." Oscar said. He looked at Jude and Ludger and felt something was off. "…I sense you three aren't daemons, and yet… you're different as well. Who are you? Prisoners of this island?"

Ludger took out his dual blades, "That's strange. I thought you only wanted the names of the ladies. But if you insist, I'm Ludger Kresnik."

"Jude Mathis." Jude introduced while bearing his fists, moving into a defensive stance.

"…Never heard of those names. And it won't matter after I apprehend all of you." Oscar said as he drew his sword from its sheath.

Velvet charged towards Oscar while the rest focused on the two malaks tethered to Oscar. Oscar struck first, swinging his sword only to be parried by Velvet's blade. Velvet was much more agile however, twisting her body and delivering a kick to Oscar's chest. Oscar was pushed backwards and when he looked back up, Velvet was already in the air with her gauntlet blade thrusting forward. At the last second, Oscar managed to side-step the attack, evading certain death.

" _Harsh Rebuttal!"_

Velvet threw a number of kicks in quick succession, some landing on Oscar while the others were dodged.

" _Rising Moon!"_

Velvet followed up her kicks by delivering an upside-down spinning kick. However once again Oscar was able to evade Velvet's attack and this time returned one of his own, thrusting his sword forward at a great speed. Velvet parried each one with her gauntlet blade before backing off.

Meanwhile, the two tethered malaks were having trouble fending off their respective opponents. One malak was against Seres and Milla, which proved difficult as Seres provided offensive fire artes from afar while Milla pressured the malak with close-range combat. The other malak on the other hand had no chance to attack as both Ludger and Jude were close-ranged fighters and both were also known for their speed.

But before either malaks could be defeated, the sound of a door bashing open stopped the fight. Velvet, Jude and the rest looked behind them and saw several prison guards along with Exorcists storm the hall. Oscar's reinforcements have arrived. The prison guards blocked the main entrance while the other half blocked the way they came in. There was no escape.

"It looks like you're too late." Oscar said with confidence, "Surrender now and I'll make sure you'll be treated fairly."

Velvet checked her surroundings and saw no opening. They were complexly surrounded. She looked at the red-haired malak and saw that Seres also had no ideas or tricks up her sleeve. This meant they had to give their all here if they wanted to escape.

"I won't surrender." Velvet said with venom, "I'd rather die than give up on my escape now. You're not going to stop me from my vengeance!"

Velvet released a furious cry and unleashed her true powers, transforming her left arm into its demonic form once more. The sight of her demonic arm was enough to cast some doubts on the prison guards. Velvet could sense their fear.

Oscar maintained his composure, "So you'd fight to the very end? Very well."

Ludger felt that even with Velvet's demonic arm, it wasn't going to be enough to get them out of this situation. Oscar was a skilled swordsman and defeating him won't be easy. And every second wasted fighting would mean more reinforcements. They needed to end things quickly.

"It looks like I have no choice." Ludger said to himself.

Ludger took out his pocket watch and activated its powers, enveloping himself in a bright light. This surprised the Exorcist guards and the prison guards, shielding their eyes. When it was over, their doubts were further increased.

Oscar looked at Ludger's new form and now moved into a defensive stance, "So I misjudged you. You aren't human after all. You're a fellow daemon!"

Velvet blinked in confusion and looked back. It was then she saw it. Ludger's arms were covered in black armor and although not to her extent, his fingers were like claws as well, although they remained human size. In his right hand was a dark-yellow and black lance. This was Velvet's first time to witness Ludger's level one Chromatus form.

The Exorcist guards stared at Velvet's daemonic left arm – and then at Ludger's pair of black armored arms. Fear struck them.

"So you're a daemon as well?" Velvet said in amusement, "Looks like we have something in common after all."

 **CHAPTER END**


	3. CHAPTER 3: ESCAPE

**A/N:Hello guys, I bring to you all the new update for the story! Just to let you all know, there have been some lines I revised in Chapter 1, so do check it out. If it's too troublesome, I basically just revised the dialogue between Vera and Ludger as I've thought up of an... "interesting" plot point I can maybe invest later on. To put it simply, I think I might be able to work some sort of reason regarding the Xillia cast entering this world.**  
 **Anyway on to responding to reviews!"**

 **chronotimeguard: Well it's mainly because the ToB hype is still fresh. It was the same for "A New Beginning" and "A Different Path" where I churned out chapters quickly and gradually slowed down.**  
 **-Well after completing ToB, I'd say they share certain characteristics but not too much. Hopefully I can develop their relationship in an interesting way for this story. It's unfortunate I can't bring in Alt. Milla but since I have to follow ToX2 canon, it's how it is**  
 **-Tsk, naughty Ludger. I believe Rokurou also commented on Velvet's attire as well, and this is definitely too much for Jude XD**  
 **-Well considering how serious Milla is, it's possible for her character to remember Magilou's full name.**  
 **-Yup, you'er correct. It has to give off malevolence for Ludger to be classified as a daemon. At this point, it's just it's appearance so Oscar and the prison guards were just panicking when they saw that.**  
 **-Ohhhh, yeah, that makes sense. I believe most Tales tend to also follow the theme of different races/species/spirits to coexist together. Something like that**  
 **-No problem. I enjoy writing these kind of stories, so I hope you'll stick around for this one too**

 **Roxas Blaze: Thanks, that means a lot to me :) and yup, interactions I think are flowing smoothly so far. I think you'll enjoy the skit for this one because when I wrote it, I can actually imagine how the skit would play out with the character's images. Oh man...**  
 **-I finished ToB a few days ago when I was halfway writing Chapter 3. If by that, I'm guessing you mean between ***SPOILERS FOR OTHER READERS*** Laphi and Velvet? Honestly I have... mixed feelings about that, mainly because I see Laphicet as a kid. I always just sorta saw it as the two mutually supporting each other (Velvet saving Laphi at the start and Laphi as Velvet's support). Then the confession at the end... I still don't know what to feel.**  
 **-I guess it is sort of a spoilert for this story but to answer you, no, this world isn't a fractured dimension. It's an entirely new world. As I mentioned, I've reworked some lines in chapter 1 and further on in the story, it will be revealed that Xillia and Berseria has some sort of connection. Not directly but yeah, something like that. *Hint* related to Vera's line and Melchior**  
 **-Hmm Velvet and Milla is definitely something I want to explore in this story. Because they are so similar in certain aspects (like how Milla/Velvet both only care for their mission/objective), so I really want to see how their relationship will grow through the story. You can see it a little bit in this chapter.**  
 **-They're not spoilers for the story and I think it will really make you wonder what is going to be revealed later on. Honeslty I hope i can keep updating this story asap because right now, all the exciting thigns I have in my head are in the middle part of the story, so that will be quite far off.**  
 **-Favorite author? You really give me too much credit, but I appreciate it. I hope I can touch the hearts and interest of other readers like I have for you**

 **Taromaru: Ludger WILL definitely be asked about his Chromatus but it's not in this chapter. Perhaps the next, I definitely want to cover that up so don't worry.**  
 **-Well Rokurou joins in this chapter and I hope you'll enjoy the skit. Honestly I had a fun time thinking and writing up that skit, so I hope it feels like it's part of the game XD**  
 **-Hmm I'm not sure. I mean I definitely got the vibe of Velvet and Milla, but not sure about Jude. I guess the hair sure but... not much for the rest. But it does look like the designers just fused Jude and Milla together, lol**  
 **-I was thinking of pairing Ludger and Velvet up actually, but I have to see if it works. I want to make sure Velvet stays in character if I do go for that route. At the moment, I'm seeing if readers feel it's possible for Ludger and Velvet to pair up. Personally I don't mind keeping them platonic**

 **NoNameAvailable Bis: Oscar should but he didn't really focus on sensing the malevolence. Basically he just jumped to conclusions when he saw Velvet's arm followed by Ludger. I actually plan to reveal next chapter about Oscar realizing Ludger is entirely different.**  
 **-Yeah I'm trying to keep a balance where the Xillia cast have some highlights but not to the point that they shove the Berseria cast. So far I think they're integrating well, especially the skit I had written. In terms of combat, I believe I kept them at a balanced level. If you dont mind, share me your thoughts whenever you think the Xillia cast is starting to take up too much attention or too little to the plot.**

 **Null-Nature: This chapter has one difference that diverts from the game. You definitely won't miss it. And yeah, I'm trying to keep the story balanced where the characters get to know one another while imagining how they would actually speak, choice of words, etc. Honestly Magilou isn't easy to replicate regarding her choice of words.**  
 **-Yup, at this point Oscar just panicked and assumed Ludger is a daemon because he transformed right after Velvet. Next chapter will actually reveal Oscar realizing his mistake in identifying Ludger as a daemon since he doesn't give off malevolence.**

 **gundam09: Mmm, well glad to see you enjoyed it. Would be nice to read what you liked though**

 **RedRat8: Hm? Teasing between Ludger and Velvet in what way though? I'm guessing the part Velvet was changing and told Ludger to look away?**  
 **-Oh so you're a reader from my previous stories as well? I'm sorry, it's just that i didn't recognize your username.**  
 **-At the moment I'm not sure whether to ship Ludger and Velvet for this story. I feel it might be interesting for the story but not exactly sure how others will feel. I know it's my story but I'd like to make sure characters don't go OOC first. I'll see how it goes. Right now, I'm keeping them platonic**

 **Kieranoi: You're the 3rd reviewer feeling some chemistry between Ludger and Velvet. I guess I unconsciously wrote it in a way that seems to favor Ludger and Velvet?**  
 **-Honestly I don't know whether to pair them up. At the moment, they're platonic but I can imagine shipping them in this story. I'll have to see how it goes as I develop their relationship as comrades**

 **CHAPTER 3: ESCAPE**

Oscar Dragonia, his two malaks along with the prison guards and Exorcists that surrounded Velvet's party were hesitant about how to proceed. The sight of Velvet with her daemonic left arm was bad enough, but they did not account for a second daemon with transformation abilities. Only problem with their perception was that Ludger wasn't a daemon – it was just the Chromatus abilities.

Ludger looked down at his arms covered in the Chromatus armor and then at Velvet's daemonic arm. "Wait, you're wrong. This is different! This is the Chromatus, not -"

"I sensed you were different, but I misjudged you." Oscar interrupted and pointed his sword at Ludger, "It appears I still have much to learn. I will show you daemons no mercy!"

Ludger was adamant about wanting to prove he was a normal human but Jude quickly nudged his friend on the ribs.

Jude whispered at Ludger's ears, "Ludger, they think you're a daemon like Velvet. We can use their fear to our advantage."

Ludger looked around him and noticed that the prison guards and Exorcists did look hesitant. So to capitalize on their fear, Ludger stepped up and spun his lance around before standing next to Velvet. This gave the image of two daemons working together.

"Ludger, I'm going to need your help to take down that praetor." Velvet said.

Ludger turned to Velvet, "Huh? You can't handle him on your own?"

"I can, but we don't have the luxury of time. Every second wasted means more reinforcements for them. If you and I attack together, we can end the fight quickly."

"…Right. I'll do what I can." Ludger said with a nod.

Velvet wasted no time and suddenly burst forward towards Oscar. Ludger quickly followed behind her to support.

"Apprehend them!" Oscar ordered.

While Velvet and Ludger rushed towards Oscar, Jude, Milla and Seres quickly tried to follow the pair but their path were cut off by the prison guards and Exorcists who swarmed in and surrounded the three.

" _Aqua Sweep!"_

With Jude surrounded on all sides, he delivered a sweeping kick while spinning around, cleanly hitting the heels of all the prison guards around him. A nearby Exorcist guard tried to attack Jude then but the martial art expert anticipated it, blocking the attack with his bracers strapped to his wrists and returned with a thunderous punch on the Exorcist's chest, blasting the man backwards and knocking some prison guards on the way.

The Lord of Spirits was faring well on her own, cutting down any prison guards with her sword that dared engage her. One Exorcist equipped with a spear assumed his range was an advantage but he was proven wrong when Milla effortlessly evaded each of the Exorcist's attacks while stepping forward, easing the distance between the two. Once Milla was in front of the Exorcist, the Exorcist threw one final thrust forward with his spear but Milla side-stepped to the right, took a quick step forward and gave a quick but powerful blow on the Exorcist's head with the hilt of her sword.

The prison guards and fellow Exorcists could only watch as Jude and Milla dispatched their comrades one by one. Added to the fact that Seres provided support to the pair by throwing fire artes around them and blowing clumps of prison guards from afar, Jude, Milla and Seres were difficult for the prison guards and Exorcists to approach.

Meanwhile, Oscar managed to separate Velvet and Ludger by ordering his two tethered malaks to focus on Ludger, forcing Ludger to face the two malaks. He tried many times to just break through them but the two malaks did their job well by keeping Ludger occupied. It became frustrating for the young Kresnik because when he engaged one malak, the other would attack from behind. If Ludger tried to attack both simultaneously, the pair would just separate.

With Ludger unable to help, Velvet had to engage Oscar on her own and abandon her earlier plan.

"Get out of my way!" Velvet screamed in frustration.

Oscar narrowly parried another of Velvet's attacks and quickly jumped back to disengage. The young praetor hated to admit it but Velvet was clearly the superior one, so at this point he was just buying time until more reinforcements arrived. It was a battle of attrition.

" _Searing Edge!"_

Velvet swung her gauntlet blade in an arc with brute force, leaving a small trail of flame. Oscar managed to block that with his sword but due to the power and heat, the young praetor's grip on his sword loosened.

" _Tearing Thorn!"_

Velvet sensed Oscar's guard had weakened and quickly followed it up by delivering a murderous hook kick. Oscar tried to evade but he was too slow and received Velvet's kick to the side of his face, throwing him off his feet. He realized the danger he was in and scrambled back up, ignoring the throbbing pain on his face.

"…You're skilled." Oscar openly admitted, "It appears I have to expend a malak or two for this."

Velvet did not understand what that meant. Oscar gave a command and suddenly, his two malaks stopped their fight with Ludger and returned to the side of their master. Ludger also rejoined to Velvet's side.

"What's going on?" Ludger demanded.

Velvet never took her eyes off of Oscar, "He's planning something. Get ready!"

Once Oscar was sure his malaks were prepared, he gave the order for one malak to engage Velvet while the other malak remained behind, channeling an arte.

Velvet prepared herself but was still surprised when the malak suddenly leaped forward and grabbed hold both of Velvet's arms. Velvet tried to shake herself free but the malak had a firm grip on her wrists. It was as if the malak was holding on to dear life.

Ludger quickly moved in to help Velvet but Oscar predicted this, jumping in between Ludger and Velvet.

"You're not going anywhere!" Oscar exclaimed and immediately swung his sword, forcing Ludger to block it with his lance.

While one of Oscar's malak held Velvet in a tight grip, the other malak had finished channeling his arte from a distance. The malak thrust both arms forward and fired the arte aimed at Velvet. Velvet saw the unknown incoming arte and acted quickly. Since the malak had a firm grip on both her wrists, she pulled her wrists back, catching the malak by surprise and losing his balance. Velvet delivered a quick head butt on the malak, weakening the malak's grip on her. She then finished it with a thunderous knee on the malak's midsection, and he released his grip on Velvet and falling to his knees. Velvet used the malak as a stepping stone, climbing over him and jumping away.

So with Velvet gone, the arte only landed on the injured malak left behind. A strange purple aura surrounded the injured malak and although the malak tried to resist, the aura was being absored into the injured malak's body. The malak unleashed a cry of anguish.

Seres turned towards the direction of the screaming malak and recognized what was happening. "No! This can't be happening!"

Back to Ludger and Oscar, the young praetor could not keep up with Ludger's enhanced strength and reflexes granted by the Chromatus. As a final resort to try and stay level with Ludger, Oscar remembered the fundamental rules taught to him.

"Control your feelings to control the tide of battle!" Oscar said to himself.

Oscar pushed aside his feeling of fear and anxiety, suddenly shifting to the offensive. Ludger however managed to block the next few attacks with his lance. Growing desperate, Oscar unleashed a furious cry and delivered two quick thrusts forward with his sword. Ludger side-stepped the attacks and unleashed a furious kick on Oscar's ribs, stunning the young praetor. And because Oscar was focused on his fight with Ludger, he had forgotten to pay attention to his surroundings.

" _Harsh Rebuttal!"_

Velvet charged towards Oscar's left and threw a number of kicks in quick succession. Three of her kicks connected and she finished it with an earth-shattering kick, throwing Oscar sideways and crashing through the prison floor.

Ludger and Velvet stood side-by side and watched as the young praetor struggled to get back to his feet. However their fight came to a stop when someone's scream pierced the air of the hall.

"AAAAHHHHHHHH!"

The source of the scream came from Oscar's injured malak that got hit by the unknown arte thrown by Oscar's second malak. The injured malak was clutching his head while screaming in pain and everyone noticed that the purple aura around the injured malak grew thicker. He was still absorbing the aura too!

"No! Stop it before it's too late!" Seres cried out.

The injured malak fell to his knees and at that point it really was too late. He could no longer resist and the purple aura was all absorbed by the malak. He released one last scream of pain before unleashing a great source of power. The injured malak was covered in a veil of dark energy. When the cloak of dark energy dispersed, any trace of him being a malakhim was gone.

The injured malak had transformed into a dragon with red scales.

Velvet's eyes widened at what she saw, "A malak… with daemonblight?!"

Even Oscar panicked at the turn of events, "Damn it, it lost control!"

The red dragon unleashed a roar of terror, the sound travelling through the walls of the prison fortress. The prison guards and Exorcists were all trembling in fear, not understanding why there was a dragon before them.

The dragon flapped its wings and started flying, maintaining at an altitude just below the ceiling of the hall. The dragon eyed Oscar and picking him as its target, it charged its wings before flapping it outwards, creating a blast of wind towards the young praetor and his remaining malak. Oscar tried to plant his feet firmly to the ground and shield himself with his arms – but it was futile. Oscar and his malak were shoved backwards with great force until both crashed hard on the walls.

Oscar was knocked out upon impact and his malak returned to his body.

The prison guards and Exorcists in the hall were lost on what they should do. But the sight of a terrifying dragon easily dispatching the talented young praetor was the trigger. Almost in unison, they all retreated and scurrying for the door. By the end only Velvet and her companions remained.

"This isn't good." Velvet cursed softly.

The dragon now switched its target to Velvet. With another magnificent roar, the dragon swooped down to attack the black-haired daemon. Ludger made the mistake of running towards it to engage it for a fight while Velvet remained in position. The dragon used this to its advantage, unleashing another blast of air towards the pair. While Velvet managed to stay root in place, Ludger was easily pushed back with so much force that he crashed through the double-sided doors of the hall and landed outside by the docks.

"Ludger!" Jude cried out but was smart enough to not run towards his friend – not with a wild dragon about.

Velvet turned around and saw Ludger was at least still alive and conscious but out of the fight for now. She turned back and saw the dragon moved in to attack her, swooping down and revealing its razor sharp teeth. Velvet drew out her gauntlet blade, prepared to strike.

Seres however knew that Velvet didn't stand a chance against a dragon and sprinted towards her.

"Velvet!" Seres called out and jumped in between the dragon and its target, acting as a shield for Velvet.

Milla was not expecting Seres to suddenly run out like that. This was because she had been preparing to summon Sylph to create a protective barrier around Velvet just before the dragon struck, which would catch the dragon off-guard and allow Velvet the opportunity to take it down in one hit. But now that Seres had come into the picture, Milla quickly revised her plan.

Milla threw her arm forward, "Sylph!"

The Great Spirit of wind acted immediately, creating an invisible shield made of air around Seres's body. The dragon swiped its claws downwards at Velvet but since Seres entered at the last second, its claws slashed through Seres instead. Fortunately for the red-haired malak, Milla managed to make it on time and the invisible barrier absorbed most of the attack. However it was not enough. The dragon was a mighty beast and still managed to pierce through the barrier, slashing Seres's unguarded back.

"Ugh!"

Everything happened so quick that Velvet did not expect Seres to take the hit and she didn't even see Milla cast the shield on Seres.

Seres acted quickly and spun around, throwing a fireball at the dragon's face. The dragon had no chance to dodge and was blasted directly on the face. The dragon was thrown up, crashed into the ceiling and collapsed on the ground. It was still alive and conscious but wounded.

"Seres!" Velvet cried and quickly cradled the red-haired spirit in her arms. She also noticed there were three gashes on Seres's back, but thankfully none of the wounds were deep.

"I… I'm okay." Seres replied in pain, "I think… something else took most of the hit for me."

"I had Sylph create a barrier for you." Milla said as she approached Velvet and Seres, "You're lucky I made it on time."

"...T-Thank you."

With the dragon out of the picture for the time being, Jude rushed in and inspected Seres's wounds. He saw that the gash weren't deep but they were still serious enough that he couldn't treat them now.

"Jude, get Seres and Ludger, and the0n find a ship for our escape." Milla ordered.

"Huh? What are you going to do?" Jude asked.

"The dragon is still a problem. We won't be able to escape until it is dealt with."

Jude looked and saw that the dragon was already up, glaring at them. So Jude obeyed without question, picking Seres up and holding her in his arms like a groom held a bride. Velvet stood up and just watched.

"I'll get Ludger and prepare a ship for escape." Jude said to Milla. But before making a run for the docks, he said, "Milla… be careful."

Jude then ran out of the hall and into the docks. After making sure Ludger was fine, they hurried off to find a ship they could use to escape.

Milla eyed the dragon and tightened the grip on her sword, "It appears I don't have a choice. I'll have to summon the Four to fight this dragon."

Milla manifested a channeling circle in front of her and a few seconds later, four figures emerged by her side. To her right, the Great Spirit Efreet and Undine appeared and on her left were the Great Spirit Gnome and Sylph – Fire, Water, Earth and Wind respectively.

Velvet armed her gauntlet blade and stood next to the Lord of Spirits.

"What are you doing?" Milla asked the woman next to her.

"That dragon's a bother." Velvet said and then transformed her left arm once more, "I just feel it'll be faster to take out that dragon if we work together. That's all."

"Fair enough."

The dragon showed no fear, unleashing another terrifying roar and flying towards Milla and Velvet. Milla engaged first, moving towards the dragon and swinging her sword. The dragon attempted to slash Milla with its claws but the Gnome protected her by throwing a boulder at the dragon, stunning the mighty beast. Milla's sword slashed through the dragon's chest and Milla followed it up by giving an order to Efreet.

" _Efreet!"_

The Great Spirit of fire loomed over the dragon and started swinging its fists, bashing the dragon several times. Each hit was accompanied by a trail of fire, burning the dragon. As a finisher, Efreet took a deep breath and blew a cloud of fire at the dragon, cooking the dragon under the flames.

The dragon tried to recover from the burns but Velvet was quick, dashing to the side of the dragon and stabbing her blade into the dragon's sides. The dragon screeched in pain and was thrashing wildly trying to knock Velvet off but she was quick and agile, beautifully and acrobatically dodging each of the dragon's wild attacks. She continued to apply a hit-and-run tactic against the dragon while Milla assaulted it from the front with her sword and elemental artes of the Great Spirits.

At the other end of the hall, Oscar had just regained consciousness, feeling groggy and a throbbing pain on his head.

"Ugh… W-What is happening?" Oscar groaned. He looked up and then witnessed the spectacle before him, "…T-That daemon… and that golden-haired woman… she possesses _four_ malaks?!"

The dragon was visibly growing weaker due to the injuries it sustained. Both Milla and Velvet sensed the dragon weakening and finally combined their efforts for a final assault. Milla stood from where she was and pointed her sword towards the dragon. This was a command where the Great Four spirits all channeled their respective elemental artes and unleashed together. A combination of fire, water, earth and wind collapsed on the dragon, blasting the dragon at the center.

Velvet moved in for the finishing blow, the claws on her demonic arm twitching in anticipation. The dragon glared at her and Velvet used this as her cue to rush in. She ran towards the dragon and once she was within range, leapt into the air and swung her demonic arm sideways, clawing at the dragon's exposed neck. The dragon snarled in agony, flapping its wings in an attempt to fly and escape. But its injuries were too great and it collapsed on the ground, drawing one last breath – and then it was gone.

The dragon was dead.

"…Good job." Milla said to Velvet, panting lightly. The Great Four were still at her side.

Velvet shook her head, "I… I'm not done yet…"

Milla did not understand what that meant since the dragon was dead. Velvet approached the dead dragon, her left arm still in its demonic form. Oscar however assumed Velvet and Milla would now make their escape and took out his sword, grabbing Velvet and Milla's attention.

"Apologies, but I can't let a nasty daemon like you roam freely, now, can I?" Oscar rhetorically asked. His malak stood next to him.

Milla dispelled the Great Four. She turned towards the young praetor, "You don't actually think you can stop us on your own, do you?"

"As a praetor of the Abbey, it is my sworn duty!" Oscar declared, "I cannot allow a daemon like her, and an unknown fugitive like you, escape!"

Velvet took a breath and glared at Oscar, "…It's Velvet!"

Oscar blinked, not understanding the meaning, "W-What?"

"…Velvet! That's my name. You can give Artorius my regards."

Velvet approached the dead dragon and without a second thought, held the dragon's head in the palm of her demon hand. Oscar's jaw dropped at the sight, unconsciously stepping back.

Velvet continued speaking as she absorbed the dragon, "My name is Velvet Crowe. And I will devour daemon, Exorcist and even malakhims!" After a few seconds, the dragon disappeared. Velvet had completely absorbed the dragon. "I… am a monster! I am a THERION!"

Velvet charged towards Oscar with her demonic arm above her, intending on consuming the young praetor. Oscar did not understand why but his body was not responding. His knees trembled and his arms would not lift his sword. If he remained here, one simple kept was echoing in his head – he was going to die! So he gave one command to his malak.

"T-Take us away!" Oscar ordered his malak.

Oscar's remaining malak acted quickly, grabbing hold of its master and channeling an arte. After a few seconds, the malak and Oscar teleported away. He got away but everything was over now.

Milla turned to Velvet, "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, don't worry about me." Velvet replied coldly. She was about to move when she felt Milla's gaze still on her. "What?"

"The thing you did to the dragon… you… absorbed it?"

"I devoured it." Velvet corrected, "It's something I do ever since I became a daemon."

"…I see."

Velvet returned her left arm to normal, the bandages covering her arm up, "…If you're done asking questions, let's hurry and escape."

"Agreed. Jude and Ludger should have found a ship for us by now."

Milla turned around and walked towards the docks, Velvet following her. While following the golden-haired woman, Velvet could not understand why she felt compelled to answer Milla. She felt she would have been annoyed if anyone asked about her demonic arm or her actions of absorbing demons – but something about Milla was different. But Velvet could not figure out what it was.

Milla and Velvet were just about to enter the docks when a door inside the hall opened and two recognizable faces stepped out.

"Oho! Finally someplace that might not be a death-trap!" A female voice said cheerfully.

Milla and Velvet stopped walking and turned around. They have already met these two newcomers – one was the strange young woman that introduced herself as Magilou and the other was the skilled, spiky black-haired daemon that stopped fighting when the sword ' _Stormhowl'_ was mentioned.

The young woman named Magilou continued speaking to the spiky-haired daemon, "…When we tumbled from the tower, I thought, this is it, Magilou, this is the end!"

The spiky-haired daemon rolled his eyes and turned around, "It would've been less risky if you hadn't suddenly appeared and jumped on my back."

"You're the two from before." Milla said towards the two newcomers.

The spiky-haired daemon turned back and his eyes brightened up, "Oh it's you two!" He approached Velvet and Milla, "It's thanks to you and your friends that _Stormhowl_ is back in my care… Huh? Where's the other two? I remember that human male brawler and the other dual-wielding user."

"They're at the docks, securing us a ship." Milla answered.

Velvet narrowed her eyes, "And you? What are you doing here?"

The spiky-haired daemon gave a short bow of respect, confusing Milla and Velvet. He looked back up and grinned, "I'm Rokurou Rangetsu and I offer you my services."

"What are you talking about?" Velvet demanded.

"This blade is my life. You all told me where to find it, so I now owe you guys a great debt, one I vow to repay."

The young woman named Magilou appeared behind Rokurou, "Yes, yes, they're a peach and a model citizen. Can we get a move on before more guards show up? They're about done dealing with the rioters so they're probably regrouping to strike here next!"

"The docks are just ahead." Velvet said.

Milla turned around, "Let's go. Maybe Jude and Ludger need a hand with getting the ship ready."

Outside at the docks, the weather had worsened. The heavy rainfall earlier was now accompanied by thunderstorms, causing the waves at the open sea to be wild and rough. It would require an experienced sailor to steer a ship safely through the violent waves.

Milla turned to her right and saw Ludger and Jude running towards them. Seres was not seen among the pair.

"Ludger and I got us a ship." Jude said to Milla and Velvet. He then noticed Rokurou, "Y-You!"

"Ease up, I'm with you guys." Rokurou said quickly.

"Don't worry, he's offered to join and help us with the escape." Milla explained to Jude.

Ludger rubbed the back of his neck, "Well that's good. We're going to need as much people as we can to steer the ship."

Rokurou agreed, staring out at the violent waves of the sea. "The sea's looking mighty choppy. It's not going to be easy sailing through this kind of weather."

Velvet turned to Rokurou, "Are you a sailor?"

"Nope. But I do know the difference between a sail and a rudder, if that helps."

Velvet blinked and turned to Jude. Without asking, Jude answered, "Um… I've read books about navigation and such, but I've never commandeered a ship."

Velvet shifted to Ludger. The young Kresnik chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his head. None of the three males in the party had any experience in sailing.

Velvet however was not discouraged, "I'll take what I can get. You three do what you can."

"Very well then." Rokurou responded, "I certainly owe you all this much at least."

"I'll do what I can." Jude added.

"Y-Yeah…" Ludger stuttered. He did not like where this was going.

Velvet seems satisfied with this and moved towards the ship. She only took one step forward when Magilou suddenly voiced out her concern.

"Wait, you're leaving without a proper crew?!" Magilou questioned in disbelief.

Milla shifted her posture, "It's not like we have a choice. We will just have to take our chances."

Magilou sighed, "Brave words… but ten minutes in this storm, and you'll lose all sense of direction!"

"No, we won't." Velvet said, "Ships have compasses for a reason. If you wish to remain behind, then you're welcome to do so. I'm leaving." Velvet walked past but then stopped and turned to Jude, "…Where's Seres?"

"I put her on bed at the captain's cabin." Jude answered, "She's resting for now but once we set sail, I'll need to treat her wounds or it might get infected. She can't afford to be under a fever at her condition."

"…Do you have what it takes to treat her?"

"Don't worry about that." Milla assured with a smile, "Jude may not look like it, but he's got training as a doctor."

"…Very well then. Let's go."

Velvet moved to board the ship and the others followed. Magilou however was not thrilled with the idea. "So it's rot in a jail cell or rot in a fish-tummy. Well, guess it's your lucky day, fishies!"

Velvet got on board the ship and stared at the distance, "…I'm coming for you, Artorius."

Once everyone was on board the ship, Rokurou, Jude and Ludger quickly did what was necessary to set sail. They raised the anchor and Rokurou moved to the helm of the ship and grabbed the ship's wheel. Jude was untying some of the knots when he noticed a wave of prison guards storming out at the docks.

"Stop them before they set sail!" The prison guard captain ordered.

"Guys! There's more of 'em!" Jude shouted.

"Leave it to me!" Ludger said.

Ludger sprung into action and ran to the quarter deck at the back of the ship. Just like Jude said, there were a large number of prison guards storming the docks and making their way to board the ship. Ludger took out his dual pistols and began firing at them.

The prison guards were taken by surprise and watched in horror as Ludger continued to gun them down from the ship's quarter deck. Each time a prison guard neared the ship, Ludger shot him with accurate precision, gunning them down one by one.

"All right, we're setting sail!" Rokurou declared.

The ship began to leave port and once Ludger made sure none of the prison guards made it on board, he backed away from the quarter deck and returned to try and help steer the stolen ship.

Velvet's party has escaped the prison fortress but they were not out of the woods yet. Now they had to pass through the dark sea accompanied by the thunderstorm above.

XXX

The ship had sailed far enough that the prison fortress was no longer in sight but Velvet and the party's trouble have only gotten worse. Rokurou was doing his best to steer the ship through the violent waves of the sea with what little experience he had. Also the heavy rainfall and strong winds forced Ludger to run all over the ship to try and keep the ropes for the sails together, retying knots that were becoming loose. The fact they were undermanned was another issue.

Jude was originally supposed to help with commandeering the ship but just a few minutes after setting sail, he had to return to the cabin and monitor Seres's situation. He placed the ship's safety in Ludger and Rokurou's abilities.

"How is she?" Milla asked Jude. Velvet was also present in the cabin, silently watching. Magilou was at the other end of the cabin.

Jude just finished applying healing artes, "She shouldn't be in any real danger now. I've patched up her injuries and double-checked that she isn't suffering from internal bleeding. However… I'm not exactly sure, but I think she's suffering from a fever. She's burning up. I must have failed at cleaning her wounds fast enough."

"Can malakhims get sick?" Milla asked Velvet.

"Your guess is as good as mine." Velvet answered plainly, "I was imprisoned the day after the _'Advent'_. I know little of these malaks."

"They can actually." Magilou said and joined the group, "It only happens when a malak is severely weakened though, but it does happen. Of course a tethered malak could just heal inside its vessel, but your malak here is on her own."

"Then I'll have to do my best as a doctor. She's not out of the woods yet!" Jude emphasized and now applied healing artes to deal with the fever, "She needs rest but I don't think she can with the ship shaking so much."

The moment Jude said that, a large wave raised the ship up and then dropped, causing the ship to drop back to the sea from a small height. Seres groaned and Jude returned to his healing artes. When the ship shook again due to the violent waves, a small item dropped out of Seres's pocket. Velvet noticed it and picked it up.

"What's this?" Velvet bent down and picked up the item. She was startled when she recognized the item – a beautiful brown comb. "This… This was Laphi's! Why…? Why does she have this?"

Milla noticed and spotted the item in Velvet's hand from behind. "What's that?"

Velvet instantly stood up and kept the comb. "None of your business."

Velvet brushed past Milla and stood at a corner of the cabin. Milla didn't pursue her and returned to watching Jude tend to Seres. As the Lord of Spirits, Milla knew she was still bad at understanding human relationships and interactions but she at least knew enough to understand Velvet wanted to be alone.

Velvet's heart was thumping wildly inside her chest. This was the first time in three years for her to see a physical object remind her of what happened on the night her brother was murdered. Even worse, it was the gift her precious brother had given to her. Remembering that horrible night felt like knives piercing her heart a thousand times– and made her blood boil with vengeance.

' _So why did Seres have this?'_ Seres wondered in her head. ' _Did she bring it just in case she wanted to gain my trust? No, that doesn't make sense. Never mind, I'll just ask her when she wakes up.'_

A loud, thundering crack suddenly screamed out and the ship shook violently like an earthquake. Jude did his best to make sure Seres didn't fall off. After that they could hear Rokurou and Ludger screaming outside the cabin.

"I better go check it out." Jude said and turned to Magilou, "Do you mind watching over her?"

"Sure, but I'm putting this on your tab!" Magilou joked.

Jude was not sure what to say to that and rushed outside the cabin and into the heavy rainfall again. Velvet and Milla followed. Once outside, Jude found Ludger and Rokurou at the helm of the ship and the spiky-haired daemon was spinning the ship's wheel left and right.

"What was that sound just now?" Jude asked loudly. With the rainstorm, it was difficult to hear.

Rokurou had a wild grin as he answered, "Well I'm no ship expert or anything, but I think the ship's rudder broke!"

"Huh? Y-You mean we don't have control of the ship?!"

Rokurou spun the ship's wheel but the ship continued sailing forward with no change in direction. "Yup, looks like it!"

"How did this happen?" Milla questioned.

"Maybe the waves hitting the ship were just too much." Ludger guessed, "That doesn't matter anyway! What do we do?"

"I say we let fate decide our destination!" Rokurou answered jokingly. It was amazing how he was still so chipper considering the situation.

"We can't just sit here and do nothing! There has to be something we can do!" Jude exclaimed and ran to the side of the ship, scanning the ship's situation.

"Jude, don't go there!" Ludger cried out, "The waves are too strong and it's dangerous if you…!"

Ludger didn't manage to finish his warning as another wave hit the ship from the bottom, causing the wooden ship to shake violently. Jude was unprepared and lost his footing. This was followed by another wave and when the ship shook for a second time, Jude was thrown over the safety rails and into the unforgiving sea.

"JUDE!" Ludger and Milla cried.

Ludger and Milla immediately rushed to the side of the ship where he last saw Jude. However since it was night, it was almost impossible to find Jude in the rampaging sea. Without a moment's hesitation, Milla summoned the Great Four to her side and was about to order them to scour the seas and rescue their friend.

For Ludger, the sight of Jude falling into the waves caused a sudden flashback within Ludger's memory.

* * *

" _Please… take care of Elle!" Fractured Milla said as she fell into the dark abyss._

* * *

The memory of Ludger failing to save the alternate Milla haunted him. It was a reminder of his weakness. Ludger looked down at the palm of his right hand – the last thing that held fractured Milla. He shook his head and removed those thoughts. He was not going to let the same thing happen to Jude.

But then disaster struck.

It was almost like the Gods decided to throw everything at them. The sea grew even more violent and the waves increased in strength. Each time a large wave smashed on the side of the ship, it wobbled and shook with power. And unfortunately for Ludger and Milla, the shaking did not cease.

The next thing anyone knew, the ship crashed into something and due to the sudden stop, almost everyone on the ship was thrown overboard. But surprisingly, they landed on solid ground rather than the cold, icy waters. But due to the darkness, they did not understand where they were and why it was solid ground.

Exhausted, everyone soon lost consciousness.

XXX

The next morning, a young boy wandered around the icy region. He possessed shoulder-length hair that was golden-brown in color with forest-yellow eyes. He wore a yellow gown which was overlaid by a plain, long and white one. Around his neck and over his clothes, he had a thick, leather ring which looked like a neck-collar finished off by a hanging bell.

The boy was from rather far from the town of Hellawes and was about to call it a day when something peculiar caught his eye. He approached it and to his amazement, it was the sight of a recent shipwreck. The boy concluded that the ship most likely rammed into the nearby rocks. There were barrels, boxes and planks of wood all over the place. And then the boy spotted six bodies scattered around the site.

The boy's eyes landed on Velvet and against his better judgment, approached the young woman. The young boy examined Velvet and noticed she was still breathing and alive. He placed his hands over Velvet's unconscious body and healed her with his artes.

Velvet's eyes slowly fluttered open and she looked up. In front of her was her dead brother, Laphicet.

"La… Laphi… cet?" Velvet murmured weakly. She was mistaken but the boy did possess the same physical appearance like her deceased brother. Once Velvet realized she was mistaken, she got up suddenly, "No. You're… a malak?"

The young boy gasped with surprise, picked up the compass that was next to Velvet and made a hasty retreat. He only ran a short distance when suddenly, a daemon appeared in front of him.

The young malak reminded Velvet of her brother and instinct drove her as she sprung into action. She stood between the daemons and the young malak. "Stay back!"

The two daemons were a pair of grey werewolves. Though ferocious to a normal human, they were considered small fry to someone like Velvet. One of the werewolves struck first, leaping towards Velvet with its fangs drawn. Velvet used her gauntlet blade to stop the werewolf in the air and knocked it to the ground. Then before the werewolf could get up, Velvet stomped her foot on its chest and viciously plunged her blade into the center of its chest. The werewolf struggled for its life but a few seconds later, stopped moving. It was dead.

Velvet turned to the remaining werewolf but found that Ludger had regained consciousness without her noticing and was engaging the daemon. The werewolf swiped its claws forward and Ludger back-stepped at the last second and immediately lunged forward, stabbing the werewolf's chest with both of his dual blades. The werewolf died the instant it dropped down on the snowy ground.

Velvet looked around but found that the young boy that looked like her brother was already gone. She looked back and saw that most of her companions were already awake, except Seres. She probably still had a fever. Milla was tending to the red-haired malak.

Rokurou approached Velvet and Ludger, "Sorry. If I had a weapon, I would have helped. I swear."

"You're wearing one." Velvet answered flatly.

"Oh, nah. I can't use this. Sorry. Long story."

"What about those Exorcist blades you used back at the fortress?" Ludger asked.

"Tossed 'em away the second I found ' _Stormhowl'_. So yeah, sorry. Once I get some weapons of my own, I'll join your battles. Promise."

Ludger tossed his pair of blades to Rokurou. Although the spiky-haired daemon was caught surprised, he still reacted quick enough to grab the blades.

"You can use mine then." Ludger offered to Rokurou.

"Huh? Well, I don't mind but what about you?"

Ludger activated a device and revealed his sledgehammer as well as his dual pistols. "Don't worry. I'm also trained to use these two as my weapons."

Rokurou raised his eyebrows and had an impressed grin, "Well, well, well… you're pretty versatile, aren't 'cha. If that's the case, then I'll gladly use your blades in the time being."

"Just return them back to me once you have your own weapons to use." Ludger said with a laugh.

"You got it."

Meanwhile Velvet was absorbing the two daemon werewolves with her demonic arm. After she was done with the first one, she moved to the second one, devouring it. This was Magilou's first time witnessing Velvet do this.

"My word, a daemon-muncher! You really ARE a box of horrors, aren't you?" Magilou remarked.

Velvet ignored Magilou's words as she finished devouring the second werewolf. After she was done, the two daemons transformed and returned to their original form – humans. But they remained dead.

Velvet looked around before asking, "Where's the child?"

"The little brat? Scampered off somewhere." Magilou said with little care.

Velvet turned towards Magilou and Rokurou, "You two ought to be scampering off yourselves."

"My debt is not yet repaid." Rokurou insisted, "Until it is, I will not leave your side. Besides, think Ludger here borrowed me his blades because we're gonna be travelling together for a while."

Magilou playfully looked around her, "I can hardly scamper off without knowing from whence I'm scampering. We're lost, stranded shipwreck survivors, no?"

Before any of them said anything more, Milla joined the group. Behind her was the Great Spirit of fire, Efreet, and he was cradling the weakened Seres in his arms.

"I suggest we find a town as soon as possible." Milla suggested, "Seres is still sick and she needs rest. And maybe we can find Jude there too. He fell overboard not too far off before we crashed here. Hopefully the townspeople found him then."

"You're awfully confident there's a town nearby." Magilou pointed out.

"I am. The young boy earlier couldn't have ventured far alone. He most likely has to return somewhere close. A town or village is likely the answer."

The group was rather impressed with Milla's analysis. Velvet looked around her before saying, "It'd help if we knew exactly where we are."

"Well, then I suppose this might come in handy." Rokurou said. In his hand was a map of the world.

"A map? Was that left by the child?"

"Most likely. It's an even trade, considering he took our compass. And from the looks of it, we're in Northgand."

Velvet took a few seconds to think, "…Northgand? Then if we're to reach the capital in Midgand, we've no choice but to patch up our ship."

Milla glared daggers at Velvet, "Our priority is to find a town first. We have to find Jude, and Seres needs a place to rest."

"I told you I'd leave you if you slowed me down."

"Our priority is to find Jude first." Milla repeated, slightly angered now, "We're not leaving for the capital until then."

"We don't have to work together anymore after escaping the prison." Velvet reminded coldly, "You can do what you want, but my objective is to reach the capital."

Velvet and Milla continued to stare at one another. It now became apparent that the two women shared the same personality of always focusing on their respective objectives – so now that both personal interests were clashing, tensions grew between them.

The act of Magilou sneezing broke the tense atmosphere. "Ugh… can't you guys stand and fight somewhere nicer? Somewhere with soup to warm the body, tales to warm the heart… just anywhere but here!"

Rokurou examined the map then said to the group, "There's a city called Hellawes nearby. Can't promise they're much for conversation, but we'll find food and a shipwright there."

Ludger quickly added, "Velvet, you said you need to get to the capital, but you need the ship repaired, right? So in the end, you still need to get to a city first. Milla and I still need to find Jude, and with luck, he should be there. And we need to get an inn for Seres to rest. We're all headed in the same direction, so let's work together for a little bit longer."

"Besides, I think its best we stick together for a while. Don't forget, we're essentially fugitives since we escaped from that prison island." Rokurou added.

Velvet looked at Ludger and after a while, turned away. His reasoning made sense anyway. She looked at Milla, "…Very well. Just make sure you don't get in my way."

"…The same goes for you." Milla retorted.

With that decided, the group ventured west in hopes to find Hellawes. Ludger just hoped Milla and Velvet would slowly work things out while they were together. If they do, they would surely become a force to reckon with.

* * *

 **Skit: The Prison Lie  
Present: Velvet, Rokurou & Ludger**

 **Rokurou: Ludger, seriously though, thanks for borrowing me your weapons. I promise I'll make it up to you.**

 **Ludger: Don't worry about it. Like I said, I've still got two more weapons I can use.**

 **Rokurou: *Interested* I have to admit, I don't always meet a guy versatile with three different type of weapons. I mean, I can use the Great Sword and I'm trained with dual blades, so that's two, but three? That's something else.**

 **Ludger: Well, the dual pistols don't actually need too much training actually. It's more about just getting used to the recoil and positioning really.**

 **Rokurou: *Pause* Uh… recoil? Not sure I follow.**

 **Ludger: It's… kind of difficult to explain. Why don't you try it out? *Hands Rokurou a pistol* So… you just place your finger… yeah, right there, on the trigger. Yeah, now press on it.**

 **Rokurou: *Fires. Jumps from the recoil* Oh man… this packs a punch! So… recoil's like the knockback after firing then?**

 **Ludger: That's right.**

 **Rokurou: Hmm… Yeah, I guess it takes time to get used to that. And so much power when all you have to do is press the trigger... I understand now when you say it doesn't need too much training. And what about your warhammer?**

 **Ludger: It's actually a sledgehammer. I, uh… don't think there's much to explain.**

 **Velvet: *Sees the sledgehammer* Wait a minute… Ludger! Back at the prison, you said you weren't trained to use double-handed weapons, right?**

 **Ludger: …Yeah? I did. What about it?**

 **Velvet: *Annoyed* Then mind explaining why you're able to wield a sledgehammer? It's a weapon that requires two hands too, right?**

 **Ludger: Oh. W-Well… it's just that I'm not very comfortable with wielding a Great Sword. I'm just so used with the sledgehammer.**

 **Rokurou: Besides, that Great Sword happens to be my** _ **Stormhowl**_ **. If I saw you guys carrying it, I might have misunderstood and really went all out. We wouldn't be in this situation then.**

 **Velvet: *Sigh* Whatever. Let's continue. We still have to find Hellawes.**

* * *

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"…Ugh… Huh…? W-Where…? Where am I?" Jude wondered as he slowly opened his eyes.

Jude blinked a few times to get used to the light and his surroundings. Once he was sure he was awake, he slowly sat up. He found that he was on warm, comfortable bed. There was no one else inside the room with him. When he got out of bed, he was taken by surprise when a breeze of cold air brushed against his skin. When he looked down, he found out why – he was naked.

"Ah!" Jude yelped in shock, "M-My clothes? Where're my clothes? Why am I naked?"

Jude's cries were heard and the door to his room opened. A young woman with long, flowing light-blonde hair entered the room.

"Is something the -" The woman said but stopped when her sight landed on Jude, who was naked, "W-What are you…? Put on some clothes!"

Jude panicked and jumped back into bed, pulling the blankets over him, "I-I-I'm sorry! I j-just… I mean… I woke up and didn't realize I had no clothes on and…"

Another person entered the room, "Lady Teresa, is there a problem?"

Jude grew pale when his eyes landed on the person that entered the room. The man wore an Exorcist uniform! This meant that the woman was also an Exorcist. No even worse, judging by the newcomer's attitude to the woman, the woman was most likely a high-ranking Exorcist.

"It's nothing. Our guest has awakened." The woman known as Teresa explained to the Exorcist guard, "I believe his clothes should be dry now. Go and fetch it for him."

"At once."

The Exorcist left and Jude was once again alone with Lady Teresa. The woman approached and took a sit on the side of Jude's bed.

"I apologize." Teresa said to Jude, "I forgot that I had my subordinates remove your clothes. They were wet when we found you, and if you remained in them, you'd have caught a cold… or worse."

Jude slowly nodded and then looked at the woman, "Y-You said you found me. Where exactly?"

"You don't remember? I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Well you're at Northgand, and this is the city of Hellawes. Some of the local fishermen found your body washed ashore not far from the city. They then brought you to us to check on your… condition."

"…My condition?"

"You must understand that the safety of the people comes first." Teresa said and got back up on her feet, "If you were a daemon, then we'd have to eliminate the threat. That is the sole purpose of the Abbey."

"R-Right." Jude answered simply. He didn't know why but the woman staring at him left a chill crawl down his spine.

"Anyway I have other matters to attend to. I will come check on you again later. In the meantime, if you require assistance, feel free to ask my malakhims for help." Teresa said.

Jude remained silent as he watched Teresa summon her malak. A small boy with light-silver hair appeared by Teresa's side, staring blankly with little to no expression on his face.

Teresa looked down at the boy, "Number one, where is number two?"

"…I don't know, Lady Teresa." The young malak answered flatly.

"…I see. I will have to _punish_ him severely later when he returns." Teresa said to herself and then gave her order, "Number one, you are to attend to this human until I return."

"…Yes, Lady Teresa."

Teresa gave a small smile at Jude before leaving the room. Jude was left alone in the room with the small malakhim boy staring at him, as if waiting to be given orders. Honestly it was a rather creepy feeling to be stared at.

Jude looked out the window and saw droplets of snow. He could then conclude that wherever this Hellawes was, this city was cold. It reminded him of the city of Kanbalar from the world he came from. The fact that he, Ludger and Milla were strangers to this world just made him feel more alone now that he was separated from Ludger and Milla.

"I hope they're all okay…" Jude said to himself. He continued to stare out the window.

Right now, Jude was in Hellawes and under the custody of Lady Teresa, a praetor of the Abbey and responsible to the city of Hellawes – and Velvet's group was on their way to Hellawes.

 **CHAPTER END**


	4. CHAPTER 4: THE CITY OF HELLAWES

**A/N: Hey guys! I bring to you all the new chapter for the story. Nothing much for me to say this time, so let's get on to responding to reviews!**

 **Roxas Blaze: Uploads are quick so long as my hype for ToB is still fresh but I think I can feel it slowing down now.**  
 **-Yeah Jude does tend to get himself into these kind of situations huh. I wonder if it's something about him, lol. Yup, don't worry, ToB is an entirely new world on its own.**  
 **-Oh... uh... I don't recall much about Eleanor and Rokurou's flags. Care to remind me? lol.**  
 **-The skit for this chapter isn't the best, but I'm trying to get a feel more of how to interact the characters**

 **gundam 09: All right, cool!**

 **Kieranoi: Yup, totally agreed. Ludger has massive debt, has to take his brother's life, loses alternate Milla... then there's Velvet, watched her brother sacrificed, finds out her brother was in on it and ultimately seals herself. Man~~~**  
 **-Xillia 2 unfortunately gets too much negativity from the Tales community though, especially on GameFaqa and Tales reddit. I get where they're coming from, but damn**

 **Null-Nature: Yup, Velvet is technically weaker as she has not consumed Velvet but that balances it out in the sense that Ludger, Milla and Jude are here to add firepower.**  
 **-Velvet and Milla clashing will be no surprise since they share some similar traits and are bound to clash when their interests clash.**

 **chronotimeguard: Oh, glad you liked how I described the action scenes. Honestly I know my use of vocabulary isn't the best and I tend to have trouble describing certain actions, so I normally describe what happens and leave the readers to imagine the little details.**  
 **-Aye, Ludger's got to be more careful in the future, especially when his Chromatus is still at such a low level. And nope, the negative effects of the Chromatus isn't being applied to Elle at the moment. It's a spoiler, but this will be addressed later on in the future. A hint is that Ludger unable to contact Vera via GHS despite being able to normally is key.**  
 **-Glad you caught on that. It has only been 3 days since Alt. Milla lost her life so her sacrifice is still fresh to Ludger.**  
 **-Yup. I plan to focus on Velvet and Milla's relationship in a way where when they work together, they're terrifying but a clash of interest means they will sometimes not see eye-to-eye.**  
 **-Indeed. Ludger and Velvet's relationship could be interesting if they are to pair of. As you said, Ludger's a passive kind-of guy while Velvet is the one in charge, but when things become bad, Ludger will really take command and Velvet will be the one that sees a new side of Ludger.**

 **UnluckyXIII: We shall see how this story end, but I definitely agree in that Ludger and Velvet got the tragic end. Ludger sacrificing himself so that Elle lives and Velvet sealing herselfwith Innominat so that the therions don't have to die.**  
 **-I guess that's why I love and hate bittersweet ending. It's sad to see what happens but at the same time, you know they did it for the good of the whole. You want a happy ending, and yet the bittersweet is good on its own.**

 **NoNameAvailable Bis: Yup. In the game, Velvet was on her own but with Ludger, Jude and the Lord of Spirits, Seres's survival was kinda secured - at least for now.**  
 **-I tend to ignore certain game rules when writing the story. For example, story won't be including the Katz collection as I feel it doesn't add anything to the main plot. The only thing I gathered from Velvet consuming Seres is the use of that fireball (which she didn't use in the previous chapter because Seres is alive) and her ability to break barriers holding the Therions. So at the moment, the only disadvantage Velvet have for not consuming Seres in the story is that she is just not as powerful - at least that's how I see it.**  
 **-Well it's not too much of a B-plot. I'm just using it to add more trouble for the party because with Ludger, Jude and Milla in the story, Velvet's group will kinda pass through easily with this extra help. So by adding the B-plot, things won't be easy like in the game**  
 **-That's true about Oscar over-reacting but as you pointed out, Oscar is mostly surprised that Milla for some reason has 4 malakhim/spirit when he assumes she is a fellow prisoner. Oscar still doesn't know the Xillia cast is from another world after all**  
 **-Ah I guess you're right about the recoil. Crossbow was never shown in the game I think, so I didn't consider that (along with archery. Don't think I saw that in-game). The canons however appeared on ships, so I didn't consider that.**

 **Merlinius Ambrosius: Aye, the Seres situation is not yet solved as no one really knows she's turning into a dragon - yet.  
-I apologize for the malakhim error. I've corrected that for this chapter. Thanks for pointing it out!**  
 **-Unfortunately, no, that's not the angle I'm using as to how the Xillia cast got here. There's a very small hint (not really a hint) as to why they are here. Well, not really. More like... this has happened before, is the best way to explain it at the moment.**

 **Well that's it for responding to reviews. I hope you guys will enjoy this new chapter and do let me know your thoughts of the new chapter or how the story is coming along. Till next time!**

 **CHAPTER 4: THE CITY OF HELLAWES**

At the Figahl Icecaps, Velvet's party prepared to move west. Before they departed from the site of the shipwreck, they stayed to make sure if there was anything they could salvage from the ship that would be useful before making the journey to Hellawes. They found a couple of apple gels they could use.

As the party ventured further through the snowy region, they found the place was desolate of any human life. With the ocean breeze chilling to the bone and wild daemons roaming about the area, it would be unwise for any normal human being to travel alone. So it was actually amazing the young malakhim boy earlier was alone.

So thinking about the boy, Magilou had to asked, "Hey Velvet, did you know that kid? I thought I heard you call him by name."

"No. I've been imprisoned for three years. If anything, Seres is the only malakhim I know."

"Well, whoever he was, there was something different about him, that's for sure."

"That's right." Rokurou agreed, "Using healing artes on a daemon without being ordered to? That's something else."

"So are malakhim that different from one another?" Milla asked.

Rokurou looked at the Great Spirit carrying the sick Seres in his arms, and then at Milla, "Um… wouldn't you know? I mean, I recall seeing you summon four of your malakhim when you wanted to rescue that brawler friend of yours from the sea. They look totally different to me."

"…Do you all see the Four the same as you see malakhim?"

Rokurou looked even more confused, "…You mean yours aren't malakhim?"

"No. They're the Great Four spirits."

"Hmm… don't think I've ever heard of them."

"You don't." Velvet said, "Apparently Ludger, Milla and Jude are from another world. So Milla's spirits might be the same as how we see malakhim. We just call them differently."

Rokurou blinked and looked at Milla, then at Ludger. After a short pause, he said, "Now that you mentioned it, I have been getting these weird vibes about them. Didn't think it's because they're from another world though."

"Do you actually believe that?" Magilou said with a snort, "I mean, come on. Another world? Ludger and Milla, they probably just don't wanna talk about what got them in prison in the first place."

Rokurou allowed Magilou's words to sink it, "…Well I guess that makes sense too, but don't you feel something… _different_ about them?"

"Hm… No comment."

Rokurou turned to Velvet, "So do you think they're really from another world?"

"I couldn't care less. As long as they proof useful, that's enough for me." Velvet answered with little interest.

Rokurou smirke, "That works."

The topic died out from there and the party traversed through the Figahl Icecaps in relative silence. Of course the peace and silence only lasted for a short while when daemons decided to attack the group. Three werewolves stood in their path, their eyes shining red, fangs drawn and snarling at the group.

Magilou did an exaggerated plea for help, "Oho, whatever are we to do? Daemons block our path and they don't look like they will let us through. So give your best everyone!"

"You aren't helping?" Milla questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm unarmed. You don't expect an unarmed maiden to actually fight, do you?"

Rokurou chuckled and drew out Ludger's dual blades, "Time to give these blades a test run!"

Velvet unsheathed her gauntlet blade while Ludger pulled out his sledgehammer and Milla stayed at the back. She preferred not to participate in this fight since the Great Spirit Efreet had Seres with him. She didn't want to worsen Seres's condition.

So Velvet, Rokurou and Ludger each had a werewolf to handle. Rokurou was the most excited for a fight and ran in first, immediately slashing the nearest werewolf on the chest. The werewolf howled in pain and unleashed a flurry of swipes, attempting to tear Rokurou into pieces with its claws. Rokurou was able to follow its movements, blocking each attack and when the werewolf was done, Rokurou went for the finisher.

" _Shockwave Slash!"_

Rokurou spun around once with his dual blades outstretched, slicing twice around the werewolf's midsection. Then he took a quick step-forward while slashing the werewolf's sides. With so much injuries and blood loss, the werewolf was dead the instant it fell down.

Ludger had a slight problem with his fight. The use of the sledgehammer was normally against enemies with defense he needed to break but since the werewolf was naturally agile, he couldn't really deliver a clean hit. At one point, Ludger swung his weapon sideways and the werewolf dodged and lunged forward with its jaws open. Ludger quickly tumbled to the side and immediately drew his dual pistols, planting two shots on the werewolf's head. The daemon died almost instantly.

Despite the death of two its comrades, the third werewolf released a threatening snarl at Velvet before charging towards her on all-fours. She stood where she did without trying to protect herself, completely vulnerable. But once the werewolf lunged towards her, she was quick enough to deliver an earth-shattering spinning kick on the daemon's muzzle, sending it thrashing across the snow. Before the werewolf could even recover or get its bearings, Velvet plunged her blade deep into the daemon's chest, killing it.

The battle was over.

"Oh, that was great!" Rokurou exclaimed and stretched his arms, "So nice to be free again, able to move these bones around like I want!"

Magilou heard that and had to ask, "So Rokurou, what got you all chained up in that mold-hole?"

"Ties to home. It's complicated." Rokurou answered with a solemn look.

"Oho, then are you really sure you ought to be taking on further debts?"

"It's a teaching of House Rangetsu. _'Pay what you owe'._ I grew up with that philosophy."

"Well! What a civilized family you've got."

Velvet also asked, "Were you in for long?"

"Three years, maybe. It's why I also don't know much about the current state of the world." Rokurou answered.

"Oh gosh, me too!" Magilou cried, "Arte-wielding malakhim? I've never seen such a thing! Used to be witches who had a monopoly of charms and hexes. Can you even comprehend what this'll do to business?"

Ludger entered the conversation and asked, "So… you're a witch?"

"That's riiiight." Magilou confirmed with a tune.

Milla pondered on Magilou's identity, and then asked, "So how'd a witch end up getting imprisoned inside a prison fortress?"

"Heh! Bagged for unlicensed witchcraft. It was a tale of betrayal most wicked and foul! Care to hear more? You'll cry! I'll laugh! Emotions will touch the rafters!"

At the mention of 'betrayal', Velvet was reminded of what happened to her three years ago. Her peaceful family life with her brother and Arthur – all stolen away from her when Arthur sacrificed Laphicet! The memory was painful but it also enhanced her determination to do whatever it took to kill Artorius.

"No, thank you." Velvet said regarding Magilou's backstory.

Magilou grinned, "Heh. You're no fun."

"So what about you guys?" Rokurou asked Ludger and Milla, "What'd you two and your other friend do to wind up in prison?"

"We weren't prisoners." Milla answered, "We just appeared inside Velvet's prison cell. That's where we met her."

"…She's telling the truth." Velvet said, supporting Milla's claim. "She, Ludger and Jude appeared out of thin air. It's why I never doubted it when they say they're from another world."

Rokurou finally took this serious and looked at Ludger and Milla, "So you weren't actually kidding."

"Is there a reason why we would lie?"

"Good point." Rokurou said, "So, uh… how'd you guys end up in our world?"

Ludger and Milla looked at each other. They _knew_ they were supposed to enter a fractured dimension but had no explanation as to how they entered this world. They also had no contact with Vera to obtain additional information so they were clueless.

Rokurou took Ludger and Milla's silence as their answer of not knowing how they here, so he didn't pursue the matter.

Now that the mention of Ludger coming from another world came up, Velvet wanted to know something, "So Ludger, in your world, are you considered a daemon as well?"

"Huh?"

"Back at the prison fortress, you used some sort of transformation powers." Velvet reminded.

Ludger understood then what Velvet meant, "Oh, you mean the Chromatus. No, it's nothing like that. The Chromatus is… well, it's basically a power that only a few in my family are born with. So we don't really view it as a daemon-like power in our world."

"What does using the Chromatus do?"

"It boosts my strength, speed and reflexes. I guess you can think of it as a power-up." Ludger explained. Of course he purposely left out one important fact – the Chromatus was also used to enter fractured dimensions.

"I see. Well, it doesn't matter, that praetor at the prison fortress mistook you to be a daemon. I think you should use your powers with that in mind."

"You mean, let Ludger continue to make the Exorcists think that his Chromatus is a daemon ability." Milla said.

Velvet nodded, "Instilling fear in the Exorcists will be an advantage to us. They have already witnessed our powers at the prison fortress. Once rumors spread of our exploits, the enemy will not want to challenge us."

"That, or they'll throw everything at us." Rokurou added, "Not that I'm complaining. It's a great opportunity to train."

The whole time Velvet and the others were talking about utilizing Velvet and Ludger's reputation, Magilou had grown unnaturally quiet. When the conversation died down, Rokurou was the first to notice about Magilou's uncharacteristic behavior.

"What's up? You're unnaturally quiet." Rokurou pointed out.

Magilou ignored Rakurou and turned to the young Kresnik, "Ludger, you said you and your friends are from another world, right?"

"Yeah. You heard Velvet. She saw us when we -"

"You never told me your last name but… is it Kresnik? Ludger Kresnik?" Magilou asked.

This didn't only shock Ludger but Velvet and Milla were surprised as well. Only Rakurou simply thought it was just a good guess and didn't take it to heart.

"H-Huh? How did you…?" Ludger stammered. He couldn't form the words.

Now that she had her answer, Magilou returned to her cheerful self, "Oh, don't look so surprised. I'm a witch, remember? I was just testing to see if my arte was still working. Thanks for becoming my little guinea pig, Ludger."

Magilou walked ahead, thus not allowing Ludger to question her. In the end, Ludger decided to accept that, mainly because he couldn't tell if Magilou was telling the truth. They were still strangers to this world, so Magilou being a witch and knowing his last name could be the truth.

"Come on, we've wasted enough time here." Velvet said to the group, "Let's continue onwards. We still have to reach Hellawes."

As usual, Velvet led the group while the others followed behind. They still were long ways off to Hellawes and while most of the party was focused on reaching their destination, Magilou was in deep-thought regarding what she just found out.

' _Ludger Kresnik… he has the name Kresnik.'_ Magilou thought, ' _Is it actually real? I thought those 'books' I read were just tales or theories… but he said he's from another world and if he's telling the truth, then – ugh, I don't even know what to think.'_

Magilou glared at Ludger's back and decided to stop thinking about the matter but for now, she wanted to find that _book she read in the past an_ d confirm the book's contents. If it was true, then the Kresnik already had history in this world.

* * *

 **Skit: The cold winds of Northgand  
Present: Velvet, Rokurou & Milla**

 **Rokurou: The place is nothing but a frozen wasteland. Only ice and snow as far as the eyes can see.**

 **Velvet: Are you cold?**

 **Rokurou: I'm fine, but I'm not the one with the exposed midriff.**

 **Velvet: I'm a daemon. I don't feel cold or warm, so it doesn't bother me either… And watch where you let your eyes wander!**

 **Rokurou: Sorry, I meant no offense. *Thinks* What about you, Milla? Your clothing isn't really the best for… you know, weathering the cold.**

 **Milla: It's fine. I have Efreet to warm me up.**

 **Rokurou: Efreet?**

 **Velvet: Her fire malakhim I assume.**

 **Rokurou: Ah, I see. *Examines Milla* Still though, don't you think it's a little too short?**

 **Milla: What do you mean?**

 **Rokurou: Your skirt. It's like, really short. Shows off your long legs and then ends right there. Doesn't leave much to the imagination.**

 **Milla: The Four were the ones who designed my outfit as I'm not familiar with human fashion, and I trust their taste.**

 **Rokurou: Weeeeeell… I have to say, I think I have the same taste as your spirits. Or malakhim. Or whatever you call it.**

 **Velvet: What did I** _ **tell**_ **you about letting your eyes wander?**

 **Rokurou: Hehe, my bad.**

* * *

XXX

An hour or so later, Velvet and the others finally arrived just outside their destination. They saw in the distance a wall made of stone and there was a massive gate that most likely served as the city's entrance. In front of the gates were a number of Exorcist guards and from the look of things, they seem to be on high alert.

Velvet and the group hid behind some boulders where they remained hidden but could still observe the surrounding area.

"Exorcists." Velvet stated plainly.

"Well that's just inconsiderate." Magilou said, "Word of the prison break couldn't have traveled so quickly."

"But it's not like they know how we look like. Maybe we can just get in without a fuss?" Ludger suggested.

Rokurou disagreed, "I doubt that, especially not the way we look. We'd look way too suspicious."

Ludger looked at Rokurou and he pointed to the right-side of his face. It was normally covered by his hair but he had the markings of a daemon. Everyone didn't look like ordinary people anyway. It just wasn't worth the risk.

"So what should we do?" Milla questioned.

Velvet tried to think of a plan to break into the city but she had none. The fact that no one in the party had any knowledge of Hellawes proved to be a problem as well.

"I… apologize about earlier. I didn't mean to steal this." A voice said.

Everyone turned to the source of the voice and found it was the young boy from earlier that healed Velvet. The malakhim boy had a stoic expression as he placed the compass he took from them earlier on the ground. With his job done, the boy turned around and ran away.

"Hey, should we just let him get away?" Rokurou asked, "He could be working for the Exorcists. If he tells them about us…"

"…I'm following him." Velvet said suddenly, "He might know another way into the city."

"What are you going to do if he tries to alert the Exorcists?" Ludger asked the black-haired therion.

"I'll devour him before he gets the chance." Velvet said coldly.

Magilou hummed in amusement, "So he's your dessert then."

Velvet quickly responded, "…If it comes down to it."

"Let's follow the boy before he gets too far ahead." Milla said.

Velvet agreed and they all moved towards the boy was last seen. The malakhim boy had apparently found a route that was hidden by the hills and was rather close to the sea. There was no way anyone would have found this path unless you actually explored the area. After a minute of following the path, they soon came upon a small cave.

The party entered the cave and found several barrels and crates containing several small-sized rocks that were dark brown in color.

"What's this?" Rokurou asked, referring to the brown rocks inside the barrels and crates.

Magilou examined and identified them as flamestones, explaining to everyone that flamestone was a unique resource found only in Northgand. Flamestones were minerals that could be used to generate fuel or explosives, meaning they were a rather important resource.

After Magilou was gone explaining, Rokurou spoke, "Well we should look for the maritime guild. Whoever's in charge of these flamestones here should have their hands in the shipping trade and shipbuilding."

So Velvet at least now had a direction of what to do. If what Rokurou said was true, then the maritime guild would be her answer to getting her ship repaired and reaching the capital of Midgand. The group ventured a little bit more into the cave and soon came upon a ladder.

"This should get us into the city." Velvet said.

"We should get an inn first." Milla suggested, "We need a place for Seres to rest. It will be easier for us to move around too once we know Seres will be fine on her own."

"Does she still have a fever?" Velvet asked.

"Yes but she will have to bear with it until we can get a doctor or Jude to treat her."

"…Fine. We'll get an inn for Seres and then we'll search the maritime guild. Agreed?"

Milla nodded with a small smile, "I see you can be reasonable when you want to."

"I just feel we're still not out of the woods yet, so I feel working together will still benefit me in the long run." Velvet said to dodge Milla's compliment. She then added, "By the way Milla, you should let Ludger or Rokurou carry Seres once we're inside the city. Your fire malakhim will just draw unwanted attention."

Milla agreed and ordered Efreet to pass the unconscious Seres to Ludger. After that, she dispelled the Great Spirit. Once everyone was ready, they climbed the ladder and entered what appeared to be a storehouse, containing more boxes and crates of flamestones.

Velvet's party has just entered Hellawes.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I hope the tea is to your liking." Lady Teresa said with a warm smile.

Jude took a sip and held the cup, enjoying the warmth, "It's really good. But you didn't have to trouble yourself with -"

"It's no bother at all. I'll go and get a refill for you."

"No, wait, I -" Jude tried to stop her but Teresa was already gone.

Jude found out from Teresa that he was currently at the church of Hellawes, which also serves as the Abbey's outpost for the city. He wanted to go leave and try search for his friends, but Teresa insisted he should remain in his room to recuperate and monitor his condition.

While Teresa was gone to refill Jude's cup, Jude was feeling rather awkward sitting alone in the room with the malakhim boy, which Teresa dubbed as number one, staring at him. The young boy had a blank expression on his face, almost like he was just a doll.

When Teresa returned, the boy malak was in her way. "Move aside, Number One!"

Number One obeyed without question, stepping away. The way Teresa treated her malakhim was the complete opposite of how she interacted with him.

"Here you go." Teresa said gently, handing Jude the refilled cup. She took a seat opposite of him.

"Oh, uh… thank you." Jude accepted the cup and took another sip. Teresa was watching him intently and he took a glimpse at number one. Taking a deep breath, he asked, "Um… I know it's not right for me to ask, but… is it really okay to call your malak by a number?"

Teresa looked genuinely confused, "What do you mean? They're just tools. You don't give names to your tools, do you?"

"Huh?"

"Hm? Is it so surprising? Malakhim are tools, our swords to fight the daemons. There is no need to give them names." Teresa said.

"…Is this normal for the Abbey?"

Teresa cocked her head to the side, "You appear to know very little for what is common knowledge."

"Oh, I… I, uh…" Jude tends to have an inquisitive nature, so he normally asked questions. But with the situation he was in, he needed to be more careful.

"Well, to answer your question, yes. All Exorcists have at least one malak tethered to him or her, and most have stripped their malak's free will. All Exorcists are willing to sacrifice their lives in our fight against the daemons, so the malaks should also give something up to help us."

"And you're okay with that?"

"It is a necessary sacrifice to cleanse the world of daemons." Teresa said.

"But… but this can't be right. Stripping free will from a living being is wrong."

Instead of becoming angry, Teresa smiled, "…You remind me so much of my brother when we were young."

"Y-Your brother?"

"Yes. He's quite like you. Kind at heart, does what he believes is right, and possesses a strong sense of justice – just like you. Even looking at you, I can see you look almost like him – only a different hair color. Yes… you look like my dear, beloved brother."

Jude didn't know how to respond to that. For one, Teresa's eyes were locked on Jude but it appears she was in a different world now. Jude wanted to say something but he didn't get the chance to when another small boy entered the room, dressed in the same way like Number One.

Teresa sensed her second malak returned and turned around. She was correct.

"Where did you go, Number Two?" Teresa asked. All warmth and kindness she had earlier disappeared instantly.

"I… I'm sorry, Lady Teresa." The boy replied.

"Did I ask for an apology? Do not make me repeat myself, Number Two."

"I… I explored around the city." The young boy answered. However it was a lie.

Teresa's blood was seething but she remembered Jude was in the room with her. Because Jude reminded her of her brother and he seemed to sympathize with the treatment of malakhim, she did not wish to display her true nature.

"I will think of a suitable punishment for you later, Number Two." Teresa said with a hint of venom in her tone.

"I understand, Lady Teresa." Number Two replied with no emotion. He then stood next to Number One.

Teresa sat back down and continued her conversation with Jude. While Jude responded to Teresa's interactions, he kept looking at the two malaks – Number One and Number Two. Just like Teresa pointed out, he was kind at heart so seeing how Teresa treated them reminded him of how the villagers treated Elize at the village Hamil. But back then, he was able to rescue her from their hate. In this world, he couldn't do anything because it would be too much at risk. The two young malaks were tethered to Teresa, a praetor of the Abbey. If he tried anything, he would be openly challenging the most powerful organization in the world.

Teresa was still talking when an Exorcist knocked and entered the room. "Excuse me, Lady Teresa?"

"What is it?"

"We just receive word that praetor Oscar Dragonia is on his ways to Hellawes. We thought you should know." The Exorcist reported.

Teresa almost knocked the chair off when she stood up suddenly "My brother is coming?"

"Yes, Lady Teresa. According to the report, there was a problem at the prison fortress he was assigned to and is on his way to Loegress. But he's making a stop here first."

"I see. Thank you for letting me know."

The Exorcist bowed and left the room. Teresa also headed out the door.

"I'm sorry Jude, but I'm going to patrol around the city and make sure things are in order." Teresa said, "If there's anything you need, I'm sure one of the Exorcists will be happy to help. Number One, Number Two, let's go."

Jude just watched Teresa leave and once she was gone, he knew that the situation for him just got worse. Oscar Dragonia, the praetor that was responsible for the prison fortress that they escaped from. And apparently that very same praetor was on his way to Hellawes.

"I can't stay here." Jude said to himself, "But if I try to escape, the Exorcists will report to Teresa and she'll definitely get suspicious of me. And I still need to find Milla and Ludger."

Jude Mathis was not in the best place to be.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Meanwhile, Velvet and the party managed to slip into the city without incident. Once they were amongst the crowd of people, they managed to blend in relatively well and drew no unwanted attention.

The group found an inn relatively quickly and after making the necessary arrangements and transaction, they got a room for Seres. Once inside the room, Ludger laid the red-haired malak on the bed with a blanket over her. She was still breathing heavily and the fever was still present.

"All right, let's now search for that shipping guild." Velvet said.

"Is it okay to leave Seres alone?" Milla asked.

"If you're worried, you can stay and watch her if you want." Velvet answered.

"There's no point for that really." Magilou said, "Seres isn't in any real danger and your friend Jude's a doctor, right? Since we're fugitives, I doubt you'd want a normal doctor to get involved with us, so finding Jude is technically killing two birds with one stone."

"Even though you're from another world, you're pretty worried for her, huh?" Rokurou said referring to Seres.

"I just want to do what I can with no regrets." Milla answered, "It's what I learned during my journey with Jude."

"…We're leaving." Velvet said.

Milla ultimately decided to trust Magilou's assurance that Seres was safe and followed the party. She took one last glance on the sleeping Seres and followed the others out.

The city of Hellawes was huge, so it was going to take some time to find the shipping guild that Velvet was looking for. Despite the cold, the people of Hellawes were rather lively as they conducted their everyday lives. Merchants and shopkeepers were luring potential keepers to take a look at their wares and children were running around the streets with no care in the world.

Velvet was passing by when she noticed a group of men bickering amongst themselves loudly. Velvet looked at them and found their attire to be that of sailors.

"There's a group of sailors. Is that the guild?" Velvet wondered aloud.

"Let's go and ask." Ludger suggested.

"You and Velvet go ahead." Milla said, "I'll speak with the townspeople and see if they have any information on Jude."

Milla walked away, separating from the group. Rokurou looked between Milla and Velvet and then said, "I'm going to follow Milla. Good luck with recruiting for a shipwright!"

Rokurou ran after Milla. So Velvet, Magilou and Ludger approached the group of men and when they were close enough, they managed to hear halfway what the sailors were arguing about.

"Damn that Dyle!" A well-built sailor with brown hair cursed, "What does he think he's doing by trying to resist?"

The black-haired sailor next to him complained, "We wouldn't be in this mess if he were dead."

Velvet interrupted the pair of sailors, "Excuse me. I need a ship repaired."

The brown-haired sailor looked at Velvet and angrily replied, "Sorry, but we can't help."

"Heh, rather quick reply he gave there." Magilou remarked.

Velvet agreed and asked the sailor, "Why can't you help?"

But instead of the sailor answering, a commanding female voice spoke up instead. "Guild business is currently suspended, by the order of Exorcist Teresa of the Abbey."

Velvet, Ludger and Magilou turned to the source of the voice and found a woman with long light-golden hair and wore the uniform of the Exorcists. She was also accompanied by two young boys. Velvet's eyes landed on one of the boys and recognized it as the boy they met earlier at the site of their shipwreck.

Magilou also noticed the boy and said in a low voice, "So that young malak from earlier is under that Exorcist lady huh."

"He's not going to report us, is he?" Luger whispered. He was actually prepared to draw out his sledgehammer.

The young malak known as Number Two also noticed Velvet and her companions. He turned to his master, "Um… Lady Teresa, I -"

"Number Two, did I give you permission to speak?" Teresa questioned coldly. The boy did not answer then. Teresa shook her head, "First you leave without my permission and now you dare speak when not ordered to? I will discipline you later for your transgressions."

After Teresa was done speaking, the brown-haired sailor took this opportunity to speak up.

"Lady Teresa, how much longer must this punishment of ours last?" The brown-haired sailor inquired and continued, "You know it was all Dyle's fault, don't you, milady?"

Teresa folded her arms across her chest, unimpressed, "Dyle was the one smuggling flamestone, and he is part of your guild. It is because of your negligence that this was allowed to continue, and thus, shares responsibility."

The group of sailors could only clench their teeth but offered no answer.

Teresa continued, "This rule was set down by the Abbey to maintain order. Do you disagree with it?"

"N-No, milady!"

"Good. We _will_ capture, interrogate, and sentence Dyle. When this has been accomplished, you will be free to continue business."

The sailors grumbled quietly but accepted it in general. They didn't have a choice or say in the matter from the beginning anyway. The Abbey was influential all over the world. To challenge their laws and rules would be declaring war on the world.

Teresa was done with the sailors and cast her gaze on Velvet. She noticed her lack of coverage and said, "And you, girl? Aren't you cold dressed like that?"

"I've just arrived from the south. I wasn't aware Northgand was so cold." Velvet lied. To legitimize the lie, she sneezed at the end.

"…A young woman ought to keep herself war."

"Thank you for your concern. I'll be sure to remember that."

Teresa nodded and turned to Ludger next, "As her _partner_ , you should at least be more prepared when travelling together. It is your responsibility to care for her well-being."

"H-Huh? Oh, uh… r-right! I will learn from this and be more careful." Ludger said. He would have denied it but it was best to try and end their interaction with an Exorcist.

Teresa seemed pleased with that and walked away, leaving the shipping guild and continuing on with her patrol. The way Teresa carried herself, it was safe for the party to assume that she was the Exorcist in charge of Hellawes.

Magilou was giggling mischievously as she nudged Ludger in the ribs "So… her _'partner'_ eh?"

"S-She just misunderstood us. Right, Velvet?" Ludger stammered.

"I don't care what she thinks. So long as she doesn't suspect us, it works in our favor." Velvet stated plainly.

Magilou switched topics then, "Still though, is this how the Abbey flexes its muscle, hm? Cruel, cruel world these days."

With the information she had in hand, Velvet once again approached the sailors of the shipping guild and offered to capture Dyle in exchange to repair her ship. After much consideration, the sailors agreed to Velvet's proposition and revealed that Dyle originated from a nearby village. That would be Velvet's destination to begin her search for Dyle.

XXX

Meanwhile Milla and Rokurou were at the harbor of Hellawes, asking the townspeople and nearby sailors regarding the whereabouts of Jude. They mostly asked if anyone had found or picked up a young male at port or shore in the nearby area. So far, Milla had found nothing.

Milla finally struck gold when she approached a middle-aged sailor. "Pardon me, but have you or anyone you know rescued a young male from the sea?"

"Huh? What're you talking about, girl?"

"I'm looking for a friend. He tripped into the sea not far here but we haven't found him. I was hoping you might -"

The sailor interrupted, "Oh! Are you the lad's friend? Male, around eighteen years of age, black hair, around there? 'Cause if that's him, my brother was the one who found him close to the port, drenched and barely alive."

"That's Jude!" Milla exclaimed with relief.

Rokurou grinned from behind, "Well looks like we found him."

"Where is he?" Milla asked.

"Well, we didn't know if he was infected with daemonblight or a wanted fugitive and all, so we handed him to the Abbey." The sailor explained, "I mean, better to be safe than sorry, right? So don't worry. I'm sure your friend's in safe hands under the Abbey."

With that, the middle-aged sailor felt his business was done and returned to his duties. However Milla was troubled with the revelation of where Jude was.

"So we know where Jude is. What do we do?" Rokurou asked.

Milla folded her arms as she thought about it. "…Let's regroup with the others and share what we found out. We'll come up with a plan then."

XXX

Milla and Rokurou found Velvet, Ludger and Magilou around the central district of Hellawes. From there, the two groups shared with the other what they learned. Velvet informed Milla and Rokurou the plan to locate a sailor-turned daemon and deal with him so that the shipping guild would repair their damaged ship. Milla revealed that Jude was currently under the custody of the Abbey.

"I haven't seen any Abbey's outpost or headquarters though." Rokurou pointed out, "I wonder where they'd keep him."

"My guess is that they're using the local church as their base of operations." Milla said, "Seres told us that the Abbey was originally a branch of the church. So it'd make sense to have the church serve as their outpost."

"So what's the plan?" Ludger asked.

Velvet took command here, "We should separate into two groups again. One will hunt for the reptilian daemon called Dyle, and the other to scout the Abbey here in Hellawes. More importantly, they just need to find out if Jude is really under the custody of the Abbey."

"And if he is?" Milla questioned.

"Then you wait until we are done dealing with Dyle." Velvet answered, glaring at Milla, "Capturing Dyle will mean nothing once the Abbey knows who we are and what our intentions are. Once we have our ship, we can rescue Jude and make our escape."

"…You expect me to just wait?!" Milla asked again. Her patience was growing thin.

"No. And that is exactly why _you_ will be accompanying me to deal with the Dyle. Ludger, Magilou and Rokurou will scout the Abbey for us."

Milla was about to lash out at the suggestion but after careful consideration, she felt that was the best course of action. While she was normally calm, she was becoming irrational when it came to Jude's safety.

"Fine. I'll go with you." Milla said, agreeing to Velvet's suggestion.

"All right then. We'll stay and find out if Jude's really with the Abbey." Ludger said. Rokurou nodded in agreement.

But before the plan came could be put into action, Magilou spoke up, "Well, you can leave me out of your plan. I'd prefer to stay out of the Abbey's business. Besides, I have my own things to do."

Rokurou looked genuinely surprised, "You aren't coming along?"

"Oh, I'll be around the city – just not with you two. I'm afraid I've got bigger fish to fry at the moment." Magilou separated from the party and walked away, "Have fun, you kids!"

With that, Magilou left the group to attend to her own objectives.

"Well, you ladies have fun with that reptilian daemon. Ludger and I will work hard on our end." Rokurou said with a smile. Then he and Ludger moved towards the market district to collect information.

Velvet didn't say anything and turned around, walking towards the harbor. They needed to use the storehouse to exit the city since they still couldn't use the main gates of Hellawes. The Exorcists were still heavily guarding the entrance.

Milla caught up with Velvet and asked, "So what's the plan?"

"We'll check out his hometown first – gather information on his whereabouts and see where we go from there."

"…The reason you asked me to come along… was it only because you wanted to keep me from doing anything rash?"

"That's the main reason." Velvet answered simply.

Milla raised an eyebrow and asked, "There's another?"

"I feel you're like me – you only focus on the mission and do what is necessary to accomplish it. So I feel if the two of us have the same agenda without any distractions, we can accomplish things quickly."

Milla didn't say anything to that but a faint smile grew from that. And since Velvet led the way, Milla couldn't see it but even Velvet actually smirked. The two women mutually agreed on that one point they shared at least.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Meanwhile within the church of Hellawes, Lady Teresa of the Abbey had just finished her patrol around the city and was performing her daily prayers to the Empyrean Innominat.

Teresa was on her knees as she offered her prayers, "O Empyrean Innominat, hear my prayer. Blessings and honor unto thee. This frail flesh a sacrifice to be thy foundation…"

Unaware to her, her brother and fellow praetor, Oscar Dragonia, had just entered the church and was searching for his sister. When he found her offering her prayers, he approached her quietly so as to not disturb her.

Oscar was directly behind her when he spoke, "Sister, I see you're as devout as ever."

Teresa instantly recognized her beloved brother's voice, getting up and turning towards him. "Oh, Oscar! You've arrived!"

Oscar smiled, "Yes, but I won't be long. I've been summoned to the Capital, but I decided to stop by for a quick visit to visit my dear sister."

"Summoned to the capital? What for?"

"It is my own failure. A total of four convicts have escaped from the prison fortress. I'm not sure how many of them are daemons, but I know at least one of them is a daemon as I engaged her – and suffered defeat. If anything, this failure will serve to remind me of my inexperience."

Teresa gasped in disbelief, "A lowly daemon outclassed you? That… that can't be true."

"I'm afraid it's true." Oscar said with regret, "The daemon, she… she possesses the ability to sap her enemies' strength and claim it as her own. She is a dangerous foe, but… she's not the only threat."

"What do you mean?"

Oscar looked away as he answered, "When I first saw his powers, I assumed he was a daemon but now that I think about it, his powers did not exude malevolence. His powers may appear daemon-like, but it is different. I don't know how to explain it, but…"

"So two of these have escaped the prison?"

Oscar shook his head, "No, there is one more I need to warn you about. A woman with long and wild golden hair of immeasurable beauty was amongst the fugitives who escaped. I don't know how or why, but she appears to possess four malakhim tethered to her – and even more troubling is that I have never seen malakhim in that shape or form. They look completely different to the ones we are used to."

"Oh, my dear brother… you have suffered so much. I am glad you are safe."

"But... there is another troubling fact I have to share with you - and it is important I inform the Abbey at Headquarters as well."

Teresa blinked, "What is it?"

"Those four convicts did not escape on their own. I wish that my eyes have deceived me, but Seres, Lord Artorius's malak, appears to be assisting the convicts." Oscar revealed.

Teresa was stunned speechless and could hardly form words, "W-What...? B-Brother, surely you..."

"I wish what I saw was not true, but I know it is." Oscar said.

"But... she's a malak, isn't she? She cannot act without orders from her master."

"I am aware of that, but she appears to be acting of her own free will. The only thing I can think of is that the daemon is controlling her, but... I don't think that is the case. So even if the Abbey did not summon me to return, I would have gone on my own initiative as they must be made aware of Seres's betrayal." Oscar then gripped both of his sister's hands, "You too, sister. Please be careful."

"...I will, brother. Don't worry about me."

Oscar nodded with a warm smile, "I am sorry for troubling you with this, but I am telling you this only because Hellawes is close to the prison fortress. I want you to be prepared for anything, sister."

"Of course."

"But enough of all that talk. How are things in Hellawes?" Oscar asked, changing the topic.

Teresa reported to her beloved brother everything that had transpired in Hellawes ever since she assumed command. She told him of the policies she had enacted, the laws she had placed on the people and the illegal activities she had put a stop to.

"Vigilant as you always have been, I see." Oscar praised.

"It is my responsibility as praetor of the Abbey." Teresa remarked. A short silence ensued as Teresa stared at her brother. Then she suddenly remembered her guest, "By the way, there is a young man the people rescued from the waters this morning. He shares the same ideals and sense of justice like you. You should come meet him, I'm sure you'd have a lot to talk about."

"If he's someone that has impressed even you, I'm sure he must be exceptional." Oscar remarked, and couldn't help but teasing, "Perhaps someone that is actually worthy of marriage even?"

"Oh brother, please stop!"

Oscar laughed, "I'm sorry. But yes, I'd like to meet him."

Teresa nodded and moved towards the inner sanctum of the church, "Follow me. He should be resting in his room."

Teresa and Oscar walked through the narrow corridors of the church until they finally came upon the room where Jude Mathis was resting. While Teresa thought highly of Jude as he reminded her of Oscar, things were about to get ugly.

Jude Mathis, a young man that Oscar saw was at the prison fortress – and to the praetor's eyes, a wanted fugitive.

 **CHAPTER END**


	5. CHAPTER 5: STRIKE

**A/N: Hey guys! I bring to you all the new update for this chapter. Many thanks to "NoNameAvailable Bis" for pointing out a mistake in my previous chapter regarding Oscar and Teresa's dialogue. You can check his review to see what it was as I have updated chapter 4 to fix this mistake. A big shoutout to him!**  
 **Anyway let's get on to responding to reviews!**

 **Ryner510: Indeed. Jude seems to be just unlucky.**

 **Lukas0908: Ah yes, you're right. That definitely was her main reason, my bad.**

 **version15: It's nice to see you again as well. Yup, after finishing ToB, I just couldn't help but write this story. And thanks for noticing the improvement in my writing. I hope I'll continue to improve!**

 **Tony Anderson: It's nice to see you're following this story as well. Will be nice to hear from you in the future too!**

 **ElementalSoldier9819: Well your guesses are pretty accurate. You can read this chapter to see how that is handled.**

 **Merlinius Ambrosius: You're really looking into this, huh. I gotta admit, I enjoy reading you throw your theories but you'll just have to wait and see what happened in later chapters.**  
 **-I guess that's a pretty good way to classify them. However I don't think Muzet can be classified as an Empyrean as she is just a Great Spirit. She is definitely stronger than the Great Four individually, but she can't really compare to Chronos, Origin or Maxwell as they are the three of the Primordial spirits. Then again, Muzet did beat Maxwell in ToX, so I guess I can see where you're coming from.**  
 **-Oh wow, that's a nice find. Chromatus and Armatus, they are really similar. I will definitely take note of that when the time comes in this story.**  
 **-True, I can see that Jude has the potential to be Exorcist. But that's only if the Abbey is able to force him to join.**

 **NoNameAvailable: Well to be fair, Oscar didn't describe to Teresa what Velvet looks like. He only described her powers. It's actually only in this chapter that he does XD**  
 **-In the game, Magilou tried to board a ship only to be discovered. I remember that so I've also written what happened here.**  
 **-Thanks for pointing out about the Oscar bit. I should have noticed that. I don't really have an excuse except to say it was me forgetting that detail. When I was writing a story for ToX, I had an editor to check my chapters before I submitted it but because she hasn't played ToB, she can't be my editor. So I really appreciate for pointing out any errors you might find.**  
 **-I'm glad you enjoy the obvious difficulties for the party to work together. And yes, as you mentioned, the party would most likely not follow Velvet once they learn her aim is to kill Artorius, leader of the Abbey. After all, the Xillia cast is only here to find a way out. They're only working with Velvet & co because they need each other. After they escape Hellawes, this will be focused on! :D**  
 **-Ah yes, I guess I can understand what you mean. Seres's condition will be highlighted as well in the next chapter and what to do with her, so wait until then.**

 **Cameo Guest: Unfortunately, no.**

 **Roxas Blaze: Not exactly similar but they definitely do share some characteristics. Their innocent-looking face is somethign that I definitely saw as a resemblance, so I just had to reference that.**  
 **-Ah I guess I can see it that way. Again, it's not that I support or not a Rokurou x Eleanor ship, it's just that I felt the ToB had very little shipping through the game. Or maybe I did notice it but I was just so disturbed by Laphicet and Velvet's declaration at the end (I still honestly hope it's not a confession of love because I find it weird) so maybe that's why I didn't really notice the signs. Either way, I'll see if this story will have any romance couplings (other than the obvious Jude and Milla, which is technically like an established ship at this point).  
-I know I shouldn't force skits per chapter, but considering how much skits ToB had, I feel it should be a challenge for me to try and match that. This chapter's skit felt rather weak to be honest. Hopefully I can do better for the next chapter.  
-Definitely look forward to that! It's not just Magilou but Melchior as well that knows something about the Kresniks. And don't worry. Right now, I'm still running on the ToB hype, so once that burns out, I'll definitely be taking it slower. Thanks for your concern though**

 **Watermelonmuncher: Hmm, I don't recall your username though. Maybe you reviewed once on my other stories because I normally notice the reviewers who say something regularly, haha. I apologize!  
-Well I hope you will enjoy this story too. Look forward to further updates!**

 **Well that's it for responding to reviews. I hope you guys will enjoy this new chapter and do let me know your thoughts of the new chapter or how the story is coming along. Till next time!**

 **CHAPTER 5: STRIKE**

Jude Mathis was no fool. He knew if he stayed here at the church any longer, his identity would soon be exposed. The fact that Teresa was related to Oscar, the praetor at the prison fortress, just made it worse. However Jude knew an attempt to escape was a bad idea since he was not familiar with Hellawes, so if he escaped, he wouldn't know where to go. He had no information on the number of Exorcists posted in the city and he also needed to know where Milla and Ludger were. His best chance was to just wait and hope that his identity was safe until his friends manage to find him.

Unfortunately for Jude, luck was not with him. When the door to his room opened, he saw it was Lady Teresa – but when he saw the male accompanying her, all the blood drained from Jude's face.

"Jude, I hope I'm not disturbing your rest. I'd like you to meet my brother." Teresa began and stepped-aside to fully reveal her brother, "Brother, this is Jude, the one I…"

Just like how Jude turned pale, Oscar's eyes flared the instant he laid his sight on Jude and recognizing him.

"You!" Oscar exclaimed in haste, pulling out his sword and stepping forward. His instinct was to protect his sister as he pulled Teresa behind him, to shield her from the enemy, "Stand back, sister! He's _one_ of them!"

Teresa was bewildered at Oscar's actions, "B-Brother? What're you doing? What's going on?"

Teresa noticed however that Jude actually looked prepared to fight, his eyes fixated on her brother and his arms raised for a brawl. Also her brother was not one to hold personal grudges or any of that sort, so unless he had mistaken Jude for someone else, then Jude must be on the wrong for some reason.

"Sister, he's one of the criminals that escaped from the prison island – a companion of a daemon!" Oscar revealed, his eyes never leaving Jude.

Teresa gasped in shock, "J-Jude is one of the four convicts you told me about?!"

"That's right, sister. He's dangerous. He relies solely on his fists and legs for combat. Do not underestimate him."

Jude however tried to plead his case, "I know it sounds hard to believe, but I'm not really from that island. This is all a mistake! If you just listen, I…"

"I'm offering you an opportunity to surrender." Oscar said, ignoring Jude's pleas, "Stand down, now! I won't give you a second chance."

Jude stared at Oscar for a few seconds and ultimately decided to refuse Oscar's mercy. There were no guarantees as to what would happen to him if he surrendered. Right now, he knew Oscar only saw him as a hardened criminal. He would rather put up a fight and make this his last stand.

As for Teresa, she was at first furious and greatly upset to discover the young man she had taken care of and befriended was one of the people that hurt her brother. But then, she also remembered Jude's words, the way he spoke and his strong sense of justice mirrored her brother. She could tell Jude was sincere and truthful when he spoke with her, and in her mind, a person as kind as Jude whom resembled her brother could never have been a criminal to begin with.

It was only because Jude shared similar traits to her brother that Teresa's judgment on him softened.

Teresa turned to Oscar, "Brother… let me reason with him. I feel he isn't as bad as he seem."

Oscar was baffled by his sister's words, "W-What? No, he was at the prison island. He must have been imprisoned there for a reason. There's no mistaking that."

"I understand, but I've spoken with him earlier. When we talked, I _knew_ he was gentle at heart. He possesses a strong sense of justice as well, very much like you. In all my life, there has never been another person I met that resembles your morals and principles – until I talked with Jude. And I believe in my heart that a person with the same morals and principle like you could not have been imprisoned."

"…Even if you say that, it doesn't change the fact he was from the prison island!" Oscar retorted.

"I understand that. All I ask is that we be lenient with him. I feel that maybe, somewhere in his life, he made the wrong decisions to end up imprisoned. Maybe he got involved with the wrong type of people that resulted in his imprisonment."

Oscar looked at his sister and saw in her eyes that she was serious about what she said. This was the first time his sister, who was strict with the Abbey's rules and laws, request compassion for a criminal. He looked at Jude and wondered if he had somehow poisoned his sister's mind – but he knew Teresa wouldn't have been so easily fooled. She just felt that Jude possessed the same traits as him, thus wanting to give him a chance. So despite his doubts, Oscar relented.

"So what is it you're proposing?" Oscar asked his sister.

"Let me speak with him. If he doesn't comply, then you're free to do what you wish."

Oscar felt that was reasonable enough and nodded, "Very well."

Teresa approached Jude until she was in front of him. Jude's features softened but she saw that his guard was still up and alert.

"Jude, just surrender now and I promise that your punishment won't be so severe." Teresa said. When Jude wanted to say something, she continued, "In case you're not aware, you are heavily outnumbered and stand no chance of escaping. Exorcists will surround you in seconds. You have nowhere to run or hide. And if you choose to resist, then I assure you that my brother, as well as I, will show you no mercy."

Jude didn't care about the lighter sentence Teresa or Oscar would punish him with. What bothered him were Teresa's words stating that he was alone. With no knowledge of the whereabouts of his friends, he couldn't rely that they would rescue him. So if he resisted, he would not only be against numerous numbers of Exorcist soldiers but also against Oscar. He believed he could handle Oscar alone but not if Teresa assisted him – and if she was the sister of Oscar, no doubt she herself was skilled.

There really was no choice for Jude. The best option was to yield.

Jude raised his hands up, "…I'll surrender."

Apparently due to the commotion, Exorcist soldiers were already standing by outside the door. Once Jude offered his surrender, they rushed inside and apprehended the young man. One checked Jude for weapons while the other cuffed Jude's arms behind his back.

While the Exorcist soldiers dealt with Jude, Teresa gave a quick order to not treat their captive too roughly. After that, she switched her focus to Oscar. While she was merciful to Jude, he was still an escaped convict from the prison island and that meant one thing to her.

"Brother, tell me more about what the other escaped prisoners looks like." Teresa requested from Oscar, "If Jude is here and is one of them, no doubt they are nearby."

Oscar gathered his memories, "Let's see… the daemon girl I told you about, the one that can sap strength from her enemies… she was a girl with black hair and eyes full of fire."

Teresa's eyes widened when Oscar's brief description exactly matched the woman she spoke to earlier at the shipping guild.

"…That was her?"

Oscar blinked, "Huh? Sister, you've seen her?"

"I… I believe I have. She was speaking with the sailors of the shipping guild, asking them to repair her ship. Is one of her companion a young man with white hair and a mix of black at the front?"

Oscar nodded, "Without a doubt, that's them. So they are already in Hellawes. And it appears their ship has been damaged to the point they need a shipwright to fix it for them, which means they cannot leave until then. No doubt they're also looking for Jude over here. We should search for them!"

Jude on the other hand listened to Oscar and Teresa's conversation and was relieved to hear that his friends were safe and actually nearby. There was no doubt they were searching for him. Unfortunately, Teresa noticed Jude's change in expression when he heard of his friends.

"No, brother. We won't have to do that." Teresa said regarding searching for the fugitives, "Instead they will come to us."

Oscar understood what his sister was planning, "So we're using Jude as bait?"

"It's only to lure out his friends. Once we've dealt with them, Jude will still receive a lighter punishment."

Once Jude was secured, the Exorcists escorted Jude out of the room, leaving Teresa and Oscar to plan the trap to spring on Jude's friends.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

With Velvet and Milla, the pair was back at the Figahl Icecaps just outside Hellawes. Of course they had to use the secret tunnel under the storehouse to exit the city as the main entrance was still heavily guarded by Exorcist soldiers.

The pair's destination was the hometown of the reptilian-daemon Dyle. According to the information given by the sailors of the shipping guild, Dyle's hometown was south-west of the city and not very far. From there, they would need to gather whatever information they could to learn Dyle's current whereabouts.

At one point, the pair ventured a little too far north and came upon some wild flowers blooming near some rocks despite the harsh weather conditions.

Velvet saw the flowers and recognized them, "This is…"

"Do you know what kind of flowers these are?" Milla asked.

"…It's a princessia. My sister loved them."

When Velvet saw these flowers, she was flooded with memories of her loving late sister, but one recent memory that came to mind was after her sister passed away. She remembered seeing her brother-in law, Arthur, watching over her sister's grave and told her about how when it came to family, he loved everyone equally. Arthur told her that there was no such as thing as a ranking of love in a family. After that, Arthur left to pick some princessia flowers outside the village. That was the end of Velvet's memory for that particular scene.

Milla noticed Velvet had grown deathly quiet and asked, "…What's wrong?"

Velvet shook her head, "It's nothing."

Milla bent down and stared carefully at the flowers, "…Do these flowers have a meaning to their name?"

"…Betrayal."

"…Betrayal." Milla repeated, "Hm. That brings back some bitter memories."

This actually sparked Velvet's interest, "Have you been betrayed by someone before?"

"…You could say that."

"By who?"

"It's complicated, but… if I were to put it into human terms, my father-figure would fit the description." Milla answered.

Betrayal was rather vague but to Milla, it rather fit her situation one year ago. Her entire life had been a lie, to be used as nothing more than _'bait'_ for the real Maxwell. In a sense, Milla lived as Maxwell but was betrayed by all the deceptions and lies she had grown up with. But she had moved on from that and it was an event that helped shaped her who she is today.

"And what about you?" Milla inquired.

Velvet closed her eyes and answered, "…Someone I thought I could trust sacrificed my brother's life."

"I see…"

It was a brief conversation between the two women but they shared some of their personal history, which both found to have something in common. So while the two would not call the other a _'friend'_ , the two definitely felt like they have come to understand the other a little bit more.

A short silence ensued with only the sound of the bone-chilling breeze blowing against them was heard. After a few seconds, Velvet made a move and Milla followed.

Of course the pair had to deal with the occasional daemons around the region attacking them but they were all easily disposed of. After a couple of minutes, the two finally sighted a wooden barricade with a large door. It was the village that Dyle originated from. They entered the village.

Once inside, they witnessed a rather unusual sight. There was a wounded orc in front of them and saw a twin tailed, red-haired young woman wielding a lance sprint towards the injured daemon. With no hesitation, the young woman swung her lance upwards, killing the orc daemon. With the battle over, the young woman disarmed her weapon.

"Thank goodness I was here." The woman said to herself in relief.

While the young woman spoke to herself, Milla and Velvet observed her. The first thing the two noticed about the young woman was that she wore the Exorcist uniform.

"It's an Exorcist." Milla stated plainly, "Do we deal with her?"

"No. She doesn't know we are the enemy yet. Best to avoid any unnecessary confrontation."

"Agreed."

The young woman turned around, allowing Milla and Velvet to get a good look at her. She had fair skin and grass-green eyes. While the design of her outfit definitely marked her as an Exorcist, it was different as well. It was a mid-length dress with multiple layers of white ruffles, along with a pair of matching long boots. Over her dress, she had on a long-sleeved blue jacket of variant shades. They also noticed she had tears flowing down her cheeks.

"Are you… crying?" Velvet inquired. She was rather surprised by this.

The young woman quickly wiped her tears away, sniffling quietly, "It's just… everything that's going on. Daemons run rampant in the outlands, and yet the Abbey has explicitly chosen not to come to their aid."

"So the Abbey chooses to abandon those that they cannot save?" Milla questioned.

The young woman twitched at Milla's blunt question but she nodded, "Yes. We just don't have the forces to be everywhere at once, and the people of the outlands refuse to obey the Abbey's rules. It's a heartless decision, I know, but it follows from the Abbey's perfect logic and principle."

Milla folded her arms, "From my understanding, the Abbey serves to protect the people from daemons. So even if it is against all odds, it is your responsibility and mission to adhere to it."

"She's right." Velvet added, "Why make excuses to us?"

The young woman faced Milla, "I understand it is our responsibility, but we simply cannot protect everyone when there is so little of us."

"My life's mission is to protect humans and spirits alike, and I do this alone. Even when the odds are against me, I still tried my hardest to achieve my objective. So the same can apply to you."

The young woman blinked, "E-Excuse me? What do you mean by spirits?"

Milla realized the slip of her tongue and forgot she was in another world. When the red-haired woman was talking about how the Abbey couldn't properly fulfill their mission, Milla was displeased at hearing such an excuse. It was her firm belief that when one set a mission or goal, anything was possible.

"I apologize. I was just using an example from… a book I read." Milla lied. It would be too troublesome to try and explain to a denizen of this world she was a Lord of Spirits.

The young woman gathered her thoughts and spoke, "My name is Eleanor Hume. I am a praetor patrolling for the Abbey. What business do you have here?"

"We heard there was a murderous daemon in this town that fled from Hellawes." Velvet answered.

"The shipping guild incident, yes. I've been looking into it, but I haven't found any clues yet."

"Is it common for things like to happen?" Milla asked the praetor Eleanor.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, humans turning to daemons."

"It does happen, yes, but not too often." Eleanor admitted, "It's due daemonblight, and unfortunately, we still don't know how to prevent its spread."

Milla offered no response to that. She at least now understood a little bit more of this daemonblight the world was plagued with.

Eleanor spoke up again, "Worry not. We will track down that foul daemon and put it to the sword."

Eleanor finished with that and turned around, walking away. Milla and Velvet watched her walk away before they also headed for the village. They didn't get very far when they saw a little girl hiding behind a rock. The little girl was keeping an eye on Eleanor and curious as to why, Milla and Velvet approached the little girl.

"What are you doing?" Milla asked the child.

The little girl looked around before asking, "Is… Is the Exorcist lady gone?"

"Why are you hiding from her?" Velvet asked.

"I… I can't say. I don't want us to get eaten!"

"Don't worry," Milla assured with a warm smile, "You won't get eaten, and if it helps, we'll make sure we don't tell the Exorcist lady anything."

"P-Promise?"

"Promise."

The little girl took a quick glance around her before she said, "W-Well, you promised so… there's a lizard daemon in a cave just north of the village. He warned us not to tell anyone, or he'd eat the whole village. That's why I didn't tell anyone. So you gotta promise this is a secret!"

Milla offered her pinky, "I promise. Here, I'll even pinky swear it."

The little girl's eyes lit up and wrapped her own pinky around Milla's, thus forming a pinky swear. The little girl looked satisfied with that and ran off towards the village, happy that her secret was safe. Once she was far away, she even looked back and waved at the pair before running off again.

"I didn't think you'd be the type to do those sorts of things." Velvet commented.

"I read that from a book actually." Milla answered, "Apparently human children take great value at pinky swears."

"It's been bugging me. You address children as _'human children'_ and earlier you said your mission is to protect _'human and spirits'_. So does that mean you're not human?" Velvet asked.

"Yes. I am the Lord of Spirits from my world. I was once human actually, but that's a rather long story. If we ever have the time and you're interested, I can tell you about it."

"Maybe next time, if I'm ever interested." Velvet said and turned towards the village, "So… the little girl said the lizard daemon is in a cave to the north."

Milla nodded, "Let's head for the village and gather some information. If they know something, it'll prove useful for us."

"…Right."

Milla and Velvet approached the nearest villager and asked him about the village. The menial task of gathering information had begun for the pair.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Let's ask around here. Maybe they'll know something." Rokurou suggested.

Ludger and Rokurou were currently at Hellawes's port. They have already tried asking people around the central district and market area for information about the Abbeyor if the Abbey had rescued anyone recently. Unfortunately most of the people instead just either praised the Abbey for their hard work or complained about Lady Teresa's harsh rules ever since she took command of the city. Some also talked about the daemonblight issue.

After several minutes of asking around, they got no results. The sailors around the port mostly complained about how only Abbey ships could leave port while the others were not allowed to until the situation with the lizard daemon was dealt with. Nothing else, the duo returned to the city square.

Rokurou sighed, stretching his arms, "Well we didn't yield any results. What do we do now?"

"Let's check out the church. Maybe we can spot Jude from the outside." Ludger proposed.

"I think we'd just draw suspicion hanging around the church looking like this, but that's better than doing nothing. I don't know about you, but I think we should just strike the Abbey now, get your friend and regroup with the others."

"That'll just blow our cover. Even if we rescue Jude, we still don't have a ship. We need to wait for Velvet and Milla to return."

"Heh, you're no fun."

The two of them saw the church some distance away and was approaching it when the main doors opened suddenly. When they saw a group of Exorcists walking out, both Ludger and Rokurou quickly moved into an alleyway. Fortunately for them, the alleyway provided as a hiding spot and they could still see the church from the corner.

"…Hey, isn't that your friend?" Rokurou said, pointing at the middle of the Exorcist soldiers.

Ludger took a peek from the corner and saw that Rokurou was right. Between the group of Exorcist soldiers was Jude. He had both his arms behind him, meaning he was handcuffed. Then Ludger spotted a familiar face at the entrance of the church – Oscar Dragonia, the praetor from the prison fortress.

"What's he doing here?" Ludger hissed softly.

"Who?" Rokurou asked. Ludger pointed at Oscar and Rokurou then spotted him. "What about him? You know that guy?"

"Oscar Dragonia. He was the Exorcist in charge of the prison island we escaped from." Ludger explained, "Damn it. I thought Jude would be safe since they don't know who we are, but Oscar must have identified him as someone from prison."

"Hm, then that means the Exorcist now knows who we are. But what do you think they're going to do with your friend though?"

Ludger shook his head, "I don't know. Let's keep our eyes on them."

Ludger noticed Oscar was talking with someone inside the church. A short moment later, a woman walked out of the church and gave some sort of command to the Exorcist soldiers. Again Ludger had seen this woman – Lady Teresa. She was the one that told the shipping guild could not resume operations until Dyle had been dealt with.

"You know her too?" Rokurou asked. He was with Milla when Velvet, Ludger and Magilou saw her for the first time.

"Yeah. She's apparently the Exorcist that's in charge of this city."

Rokurou saw Teresa and Oscar interacting with each other. "Looks like she and that Oscar fellow are pretty close. Safe to assume then that Oscar told Teresa who Jude is and what his friends look like – basically us. Our situation's just got a lot worse."

After a while, Teresa gave one final command to the Exorcist soldiers. They saluted their leader and half of them dispersed through the streets of the city. The other half remained at the entrance of the church, surrounding the area and guarding Jude. When some of the Exorcist soldiers passed by, Ludger and Rokurou stayed hidden.

"So what do we do now? Do we just wait for Velvet and Milla?" Rokurou asked.

Before Ludger could answer, a chipper voice spoke, "That's an excellent question. Just _what_ should we do in this situation?"

Ludger and Rokurou turned around and were looking at the self-proclaimed witch. "Magilou?" Rokurou blurted out.

"What are you doing here? Where have you been?" Ludger asked.

"Did you miss me?" Magilou teasingly asked with a wicked grin.

"So did you find your fish to fry or something?" Rokurou questioned, referring to Magilou's parting words.

"Sadly, no. You see, I planned to just ditch you guys and escape on my own, so I boarded a ship, without being detected of course, and was just waiting for the ship to set sail. Unfortunately, it seems that none of the ships are allowed to lift anchor until further orders are given by the Abbey. So it appears you're all lucky enough to be blessed with my presence for a little while longer."

"You could have boarded an Abbey ship though." Rokurou pointed out, "From what we found out, seems that ships belonging to the Abbey are allowed to set sail no problem."

"And you expect me to stay hidden in a ship full of those stuck-up guys? I'd rather not."

"Fair point."

Magilou smirked, "So… it looks like you guys finally found your friend. What're you gonna do 'bout it?"

"We'll stick to the plan… for now." Ludger replied while keeping his eyes glued on Jude and the Exorcists, "We wait until Velvet and Milla return before we do anything rash."

"Are you sure they'll wait that long? They might execute pool 'ol Jude before those two returns." Magilou said.

Ludger looked down at his hands and he was instantly hit by a flashback. First he was once again reminded of how he was unable to save the alternate Milla – how his right hand was the last thing that held her before she fell into the dark abyss. Then his memory switched back to the scene of when Jude plunged into the ocean, how all of this could have been prevented if he was only fast enough to save his friend.

Ludger clenched his hands into fists, "…Then I'll stop them. I'm not going to let a friend die in front of me."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

With Milla and Velvet, the two were just outside the north cave and preparing to move in. Before this, they did ask the townspeople in the village for any information worth sharing. While they learned nothing of the lizard daemon Dyle, they did learn that the small village was apparently where the Abbey banished those that did not follow their rules. Some willingly migrated to the village simply because they desired to not be under the Abbey's watchful eye.

Once the pair was fully prepared, they entered the cave known as the Hadlow Hallow in search of the Dyle, the lizard daemon.

* * *

 **Skit: Getting to know**

 **Milla: Velvet, mind if I ask you a personal question?**

 **Velvet: Go ahead. Just know that I'm not obliged to answer.**

 **Milla: Fair enough.** _ ***Leans in with a curious look***_ **So, what were you like before you were imprisoned?**

 **Velvet:** _ ***Confused***_ **W-What?**

 **Milla: I'm just curious as to what your life was before we met you.**

 **Velvet:** _ ***Looks away***_ **…I don't really want to talk about that. If to satisfy your curiosity, I was a simple village girl. That's all there is to it.**

 **Milla: So you were like how Jude was then? Innocent and naïve?**

 **Velvet: Innocent and naïve…** _ ***Closes eyes***_ **I guess I was.**

 **Milla: So what happened that changed you?**

 **Velvet: I thought I told you already – someone I trust used my brother's life just for the sake of the greater good. I don't care what his reasons were. To me, he murdered my brother. That's all.**

 **Milla: I see.**

 **Velvet: …This conversation is over. We have a daemon to hunt.** _ ***Leaves***_

 **Milla: …If she was somewhat like Jude was, I can't imagine what happened that transformed her to this.**

* * *

Milla and Velvet spent quite a long time traversing through the Hadlow Hallow in search of their target. Of course the cave contained its own set of daemons and because humans rarely entered the caves, the daemons were highly aggressive, attacking the pair. The two didn't have trouble with the daemons but they were definitely taking up their time.

There were other obstacles that Velvet and Milla had to go through as well. Some pathways were blocked by boulders but they were weak enough for either woman to destroy. Then the cave also had some pit filled with tar, so they had to be careful when jumping through these pits on footholds.

Finally the pair arrived at the final chamber of the cave. Still they found no trace of Dyle. Inside the final chamber were just a large area of land and a lake of tar. There was nowhere else to go.

"There's no one here." Milla said.

"Over there." Velvet pointed at something in the lake of tar. There was a body half visible inside the tar, most likely dead. "It's an Exorcist."

"How did he wind up there?" Milla wondered aloud.

The sound of footsteps alerted the pair and turned around. Finally they found their target. A lizard daemon had snuck up behind them with a sword and shield as his weapons. He was also draped in the same sailor attire that the men wore at the shipping guild. This was definitely Dyle.

"Looks like he was thrown in." Velvet said regarding Milla's earlier question about the Exorcist.

"We've found him. Let's make this quick." Milla said, drawing out her sword.

The lizard daemon growled, "More fools from Hellawes to hunt me down, eh? I'll give you all an early grave!"

"Just try!" Velvet retorted and charged in, revealing her gauntlet blade.

The lizard daemon unleashed a ferocious roar and used his shield to block Velvet's blade, quickly returning a counter-attack but Velvet was far too agile as she avoided the attack. Milla followed up by engaging the daemon, trading blows. The sound of swords clashing echoed through the chamber.

Although the lizard daemon was handicapped two-to-one, it was surprisingly difficult to defeat him. He possessed the agility and speed of a lizard, evading Velvet's attacks and parrying Milla at the same time. It also relied on its brute strength in an attempt to overpower the two, which was why Milla and Velvet avoided.

" _Tearing Thorn!"_

Velvet delivered a thunderous spinning kick but Dyle grabbed hold of Velvet's heel and tossed her away. She was able to maneuver her way through the air and successfully landed on her feet, avoiding from getting thrown off.

"He's tougher than he looks." Velvet remarked.

Milla nodded in agreement, "I wanted to end this without _their_ help, but we don't have time to waste. Efreet!"

Milla summoned the Great Spirit of fire to her side. The lizard daemon took a step back due Efreet's intimidating appearance. Milla lunged forward with Efreet, swinging her sword at Dyle. The lizard daemon parried it with his shield and tried to return an immediate attack but before he could, Efreet threw a burning fist at him, blasting him backwards and leaving a trail of fire. Dyle crashed on the cave's wall, groaning in pain but before he could even recover, Efreet tossed a medium-sized fireball at him. The fireball blasted Dyle on the chest, throwing him back again on the wall with a harder impact. This time he couldn't get up, falling face-first on the ground.

When Dyle tried to get up, but once he was on one-knee he felt Velvet's cold steel on his neck.

"Any last words?" Velvet said.

Dyle looked down and cursed, "Damn it! I… I can't die here. Not yet! Not until I have my revenge!"

"Revenge?" Velvet repeated.

Velvet pulled away her blade and stepped back. Dyle saw that the black-haired woman seemed interested so he stood back up.

"Finish what you were saying." Velvet ordered the lizard daemon, "What revenge?"

"Those bastards at the guild are after my life! They wanna kill me! They want me to take the fall of their smuggling operation!"

"Wait. Are you saying the whole guild is involved?"

"Of course!" Dyle said with a laugh, "You think a second-rate sailor like me can pull off all that mischief by myself?!"

"That's true." Milla said, "It would take more than one person to dig that tunnel into the warehouse."

"Well, helping them wasn't without benefits." Dyle admitted, "I got a share of the profits from their operations, which was a lot, let me tell you. Problem is, our extra-legal activities were a little TOO successful. I guess it's no surprise that the Abbey sniffed us out at some point."

"So they used you as a scapegoat." Velvet concluded.

"That's right. Of course with me on the run, things aren't going as planned for them. Heh, heh."

"How do you mean to get this revenge of yours?"

"A raid on Hellawes!" Dyle answered with spite, "I'll kill the lot of them, this I swear."

"…That would be suicide."

Milla agreed, "She's right. Even if you sneak in, you won't make it out alive. There are too many Exorcists."

"That won't matter. Even if I try and hide, they'll still hunt me down. The way I see it, I may as well go down with a fight!" Dyle exclaimed.

"…I guess that's true."

The lizard daemon sighed in defeat, "Well… it looks like this is the end of the road for me. I was expecting to die in the hands of the Exorcist, but instead it's you two. Now that I think about it, why are you the ones hunting me down? Are you mercenaries or somethin'?"

"Not exactly." Velvet answered, "I have a ship that needs repairing. Unfortunately the Abbey has ceased all operations on your shipping guild until you're dealt with. So we made a deal – take care of you and the Abbey will lift the guild's suspension and get our ship repaired."

"Heh, makes sense I guess." Dyle then relaxed, "Well do what you have to. I'm done here."

Velvet raised her blade and approached the lizard daemon. She was still careful just in case Dyle had something planned but even when she was inches away, Dyle made no sudden moves. He truly resigned to his fate.

"Velvet, wait." Milla said suddenly.

"What is it?"

"I think we can use Dyle's desire for revenge to our advantage."

"...Explain."

Milla nodded, "Even if we get our ship repaired, it still doesn't change the fact that Jude is most likely under the Abbey's custody. That means sooner or later, we still have to openly attack the Abbey to rescue him. So even if we did rescue Jude, our ship's too far to make a clean escape. Our best chance is to just steal a ship from the port and escape with that."

Velvet considered Milla's suggestion and now had a clearer picture, "So you mean to use Dyle's raid to our advantage."

"We might as well use him." Milla remarked, "If we're to rescue Jude, it will mean alerting every Exorcist in Hellawes of our presence. So we'll need a distraction. Besides, repairing our ship might take some time. I doubt we can hide our identities in the city for that long."

The lizard daemon then joined the conversation, "She has a point. Depending on the damage of your ship, it will take at least a day or two to make proper repairs. A week at most."

Velvet turned to Dyle, "You know a lot about these kinds of things I take it?"

"Of course! I may be a second-rate sailor, but ship repairs and navigation are the basics every sailor should know."

"…A sailor will be useful then." Velvet whispered softly.

Milla faced Velvet, "So what do you think? Should we stick with the original plan? Or try and secure a ship at Hellawes's port?"

Velvet considered what Dyle just said and also took note of what Milla told her. Milla for one had a point. If they are to rescue Jude, they would have to attack the Abbey. It was also a matter of time before word from the prison fortress reached Hellawes about them being the escaped convicts. So the plan to have their ship repaired was already a risky one – especially after Dyle said it would take days depending on the ship's condition. The only problem with the plan to secure a ship _and_ use Dyle's desire for revenge to their advantage would be that they had to commence the plan immediately – that meant Ludger and Rokurou wouldn't know since their orders were to wait for her and Milla to return.

So after considering the best course of action, Velvet came to a decision.

Velvet turned towards the lizard daemon, "Dyle, we'll lend you a hand with your raid."

"Heh, you know I heard everything about you wanting to use me. Awfully presumptuous, aren'tcha?"

"I'm a daemon. Comes with the territory."

Dyle's eyes widened at that, "A daemon, huh? I felt you were somewhat different, didn't think you'd be a daemon though. I'm guessing that's what your bandages on your arm are for, huh?"

"It is."

"As for the raid, are you sure though? Like you said, its suicide."

"Doesn't matter. We need to rescue a comrade from the Abbey, so it was bound to happen. Besides, I have a plan."

"What do you have in mind?" Milla asked.

"We'll hit them with a direct frontal assault." Velvet revealed.

Dyle was flabbergasted, "What?! You call that a plan?"

"I haven't finished. I want you to sneak into the city through the tunnel under the storehouse. I and Milla will be the ones to handle the assault. That will draw all of the Exorcist's attention to us, allowing you to freely sneak into the city, strike the docks and secure us a ship. You can do whatever you want for your revenge, just make sure we get a ship." Velvet explained.

"…Sounds simple enough."

"After that, we will meet you at the docks and we will all sail away. And I want you at the helm."

Dyle cocked his head to the side, "Huh? I'm coming with you?"

"No one in our group has any experience with handling a ship or navigation. You'd be a great help as a sailor." Velvet replied, "But if you wish to be left behind, that's up to you."

"Nah, I'll follow. I mean, I get to have my revenge and escape Hellawes? Count me in."

"It's decided then."

Milla asked Velvet, "When are we doing this?"

"Immediately. Dyle, you're following us."

Dyle chuckled in excitement, "Sure. It's not like I have anything to pack and bring with me. Let's do this!"

XXXX

Milla, Velvet along with Dyle exited the Hadlow Hallow and entered the small hometown village of Dyle. To avoid causing a scene, Velvet instructed Dyle to separate and find a way through the village and meet outside the village. The lizard daemon agreed and since it was his hometown, knew a way to slip through undetected.

As Milla and Velvet entered the little village, they noticed the villagers were a little bit livelier than before. They were all talking amongst each other. So Velvet approached the nearest villager with Milla following.

"What's going on?" Velvet asked an elderly woman.

The old woman turned to Velvet and said, "You haven't heard? Apparently the Abbey caught a fugitive that escaped from prison and was holding a public execution when the criminal's friends interrupted. The Abbey's currently trying to deal with them. Whatever it is, you should stay away from the city."

"I see. Thanks for letting us know."

Velvet walked away and once they were out of earshot, Milla was about to run but Velvet grabbed Milla's arm.

"Milla, relax. We need to stick to the plan." Velvet said.

"Didn't you hear what she said?!" Milla cried, "She must mean Ludger and Rokurou! We need to go and help them!"

"Relax! You need to think clearly." Velvet said. Once Milla actually stopped to listen, Velvet continued, "Whatever happened, the Abbey must have found out who Jude is. They're just using him to lure us out. That means Ludger and Rokurou fell for their trap. We can't fall for it too."

"We're going for a frontal assault anyway. What's the point?"

"We need to regroup with Dyle first and tell him what's going on. After that, we'll attack together. We need to synchronize properly with Dyle to make sure everything runs smoothly."

Milla listened and took a deep breath. Once she was calm and collected, she gave a nod. "You're right. I apologize."

"Never mind. Let's meet with Dyle first."

Velvet and Milla walked further away from the village until they were outside of the wooden barricade. They found the lizard daemon waiting for them there. Velvet and Milla briefed him what they learned of the situation at Hellawes and to confirm their plan. Once everything was settled, they were prepared to move out.

"So, are we ready then?" Velvet asked.

Dyle grinned, "Damn straight! And I just realized something. If I'm going through the storehouse, that means that's where the flamestones are stored."

"What about it?" Milla asked.

"Let's just say I've got a little plan to use them. Heck, think of it as my signal to you guys that I've secured a ship at the port."

"How will we know what your signal is?"

"Oh, don't worry. You'll know. It'll be a BLAST!" Dyle said with a wicked laugh. Then he asked, "By the way, I never caught you and your friend's name."

"Velvet." The black-haired girl answered plainly.

"Milla Maxwell."

Dyle nodded, "Velvet and Milla, eh? We'll sail together if you live, you two. If not, at least I'll know what to put on your tombstones."

"You've got a sharp tongue." Velvet remarked.

Dyle laughed, "I've been told that a lot. Anyway, let's go. We're off to attack Hellawes!"

Without waiting for the two, Dyle ran towards the direction of the secret tunnel leading to the storehouse. They didn't need to go together anyway since they were both taking different routes to enter the city.

"By the way, once we're inside the city, I'm leaving it to you to help the others." Milla said to Velvet.

"Why? What are you going to do?"

"I'll be heading to the inn. Seres is still there. I'll get her and meet you at the port."

"…Understood."

That ended the final discussion for their plan and the two continued towards their destination – the main gates of Hellawes. Since most of the Exorcist forces should be focused on Ludger and Rokurou at the moment, Velvet and Milla's attack on the main gates should help relieve some of their burden since the Exorcist would need to send forces to defend the gates.

After a minute, Milla and Velvet finally saw the main gates of Hellawes. Just like before, there were a number of Exorcist soldiers stationed at the main gates, alert.

Velvet withdrew her blade from her gauntlet, "Let's begin the assault."

Milla unsheathed her sword, "Right behind you."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"So you still think this was a good idea?" Rokurou said with a grin.

Despite the situation they were in, Ludger couldn't help but chuckle, "I did say I'm going if they look like they might harm Jude."

Ludger and Rokurou were currently back-to-back with their weapons drawn in front of the church of Hellawes. Around them were a horde of Exorcist soldiers and the ground was decorated with the bodies of other Exorcist soldiers, some dead while the remaining simply wounded.

A few minutes ago, Ludger, Rokurou and Magilou were just keeping an eye on Jude from afar when Teresa announced that Jude would be publicly executed. That was all it took to drag Ludger out of hiding as he charged towards them. Rokurou had no choice but to follow. Magilou remained hidden, not choosing to help and watching from the alleyway. When it was obvious to the townspeople that there was a battle between the Abbey and _'criminals'_ , they all quickly ran away, emptying the streets. That was how Ludger and Rokurou ended up in their current situation.

"Those two actually did come out in the open, despite it being an obvious trap." Magilou said to herself with a grin. She was still hiding at the alleyway, "Things sure are getting a lot more interesting."

The Exorcist soldiers all charged in simultaneously, thinking a synchronized attack and their superior numbers would allow them to win. However Ludger swung his sledgehammer around, whacking the surrounding Exorcist soldiers like a couple of bowling pins. After that, Rokurou dashed through each of the knocked down Exorcist soldiers, slashing around their thighs and forearms, forcibly taking them out of the fight.

Unfortunately for Ludger and Rokurou, reinforcements arrived and they once again surrounded the pair. But that wasn't all. Oscar Dragonia, praetor of the Abbey, joined the fray.

"It appears we meet again." Oscar said as a greeting, "I offer you an opportunity to surrender. Do so, and your friend's punishment won't be as severe."

Ludger glared at Oscar, "So you never intended to execute Jude."

"We used him as bait, and it worked."

"Told you it was a trap." Rokurou said to Ludger with a smirk.

Oscar looked at Ludger and Rokurou before saying, "There are only two of you. Where's the woman with the demonic arm? I don't see Seres and the golden-haired woman amongst you either."

"Why don't you come and find out?" Ludger taunted.

"Very well."

Oscar moved to engage Ludger. When Rokurou tried to enter their duel, the other Exorcist soldiers moved in and attacked, forcing Rokurou to defend himself.

Since Ludger was using the sledgehammer this time, he was not as quick so he was forced to be on the defensive as Oscar went on the offensive, swinging his sword with vigor. At one point, Ludger managed to knock Oscar back by hitting him with the body of the sledgehammer. Ludger quickly switched to his dual pistols and fired two shots. Oscar dodged one but the other grazed the praetor's shoulder. Ignoring the pain, he charged in once more and Ludger quickly switched back to his sledgehammer.

As for Rokurou, he had no problems with dealing with the Exorcists. However their numbers were limitless. Each one he struck down was replaced by two more. The streets of Hellawes that were filled with the townspeople were now replaced with Exorcist soldiers. There was no end to them. He would normally be excited at the opportunity to take down endless numbers of soldiers, but even now he was beginning to tire out.

Jude could only watch helplessly as Ludger and Rokurou continued to battle Oscar and the Exorcist soldiers. He wanted to shout to them to just leave him and escape, but Teresa had gagged Jude's mouth with a cloth, shutting him up. His cries only resulted in incomprehensible groans.

When Teresa noticed that Ludger and Rokurou were still far from defeat, she decided she would need to join in the fight.

"I'll support from afar." Teresa said as she started channeling artes. However before she could finish, a wounded Exorcist soldier interrupted her.

"Lady Teresa! We need reinforcements at the main gate!" The Exorcist requested.

"What? Whatever for? We're busy dealing with these fugitives here!"

"B-But… a daemon is about to break in! And she has a woman with four malak helping her!"

"W-What?"

Teresa turned towards the direction of where the main gate was located but she was already too late. She saw a number of Exorcist soldiers retreating from the gate, some with injuries while others just completely abandoned their duty as they ran for their lives. And the two culprits were standing by the front gates.

It was no wonder the Exorcist soldiers stationed at the main gates ran for their lives. On the right was Velvet Crowe with her gauntlet blade revealed and her demonic left arm active. Next to her was Milla Maxwell, sword in hand and behind her were the Great Four spirits – which the Exorcists saw as malakhim of each element.

Ludger and Rokurou's fight had come to a stop due to the arrival of Velvet and Milla. The Exorcist soldiers now had to focus on either of the pair and were awaiting orders from Oscar or Teresa.

"They made it back." Ludger said in relief, "Although it looks like they assaulted the main gates. Think we might have a change of plans."

Rokurou nodded, "Well let's just follow their lead then."

Teresa glared at Velvet and Milla. "So… you're the daemon that escaped from the island? And she's the one possessing four malak?"

"What if we are?" Velvet retorted. She and Milla were still some distance away from the church.

"Why don't you come and find out?" Milla added. The Great Four blasted their respective elemental artes.

It was a stand-still now. The Exorcists of Hellawes now had to handle the fugitives from two fronts – Ludger and Rokurou or Velvet and Milla.

"Apprehend all of them!" Oscar ordered.

For Velvet and her party, this marked the beginning of their operation – the attack on Hellawes.

 **CHAPTER END**


	6. CHAPTER 6: BONDS

**A/N: Hey guys! I bring to you all the new chapter for this story! Nothing much to say or report on, so let's get to responding to reviews!**

 **Tony Anderson: Here you go with a new chapter.**

 **ElementalSoldier9819: Jude has Exorcist potential for being rather pure-hearted but since no one in the party (except Seres and Magilou) has that knowledge, he won't be going that path anytime soon.**  
 **-As for the Xillia cast, they most likely won't be appearing. The ToB cast has 6 people and with Ludger, Jude and Milla, that's a total of 9. I don't wish to have too many characters involved as it will be difficult to give each their own spotlight.**

 **Merlinius Ambrosius: That's interesting. If I ever diverge too much from lore, do let me know as I'm more versed over Xillia's lore than ToZ/ToB lore.**  
 **-Yeah I know what you mean. They should definitely see some resemblance between the Chromatus and Armatization - even if they're not the same.**  
 **-I do watch playthroughs to reference the scene, how characters speak etc and then adapt it to the story and the changes it has.**  
 **-Yup, tail wasn't cut here so he will at least be making more appearances in this story hopefully. Maybe actively follow the party out, we'll see how it goes**  
 **-Honestly I'd prefer not to introduce more of the Xillia cast unless the story requies it in some way. Since ToB has 6 characters added with now the 3 main characters from ToX, that's a total of 9. I don't want to add more that will lessen the spotlight for the current ones.**  
 **-Unfortunately my memory is rather foggy for ToZ and I can't remember too much about Symmone.**

 **version15: Yup, just some minor changes here and there but the story will really divert once the characters seperate, which happens once they reach Loegress. There is one thing extra though in this chapter, as you'll find out soon enough**

 **Null-Nature: Yup, Dyle still has his tail! And I'm glad you enjoyed the skit. Honestly I'm not sure if the skits have been able to at least replicate some feel of the ToB skits, so it's been hard**  
 **-While the story will diverge once they reach Loegress, it's rather similar as well. It's more of a different point of view to some extent**  
 **-Yup it will be difficult if Milla went for the same route. But we have to remember that it's a game and no way Hellawes has such a simple layout. I like to imagine it as an anime perception, so the characters will have more routes to take to a destination**

 **Watermelonmuncher: Ah that has been a long time then. Either ways, nice to see a reader from my previous stories still keeping up with me :)**

 **Roxas Blaze: Oh man, if the scenes in this story get animated, that will be the day. But it'll never happen, but it's still nice to dream XD**  
 **-Well in the end, I'll probably have to see what the Jap dub says. Because I recall for FFX, in the Jap dub, Yuna only says to Tidus "Thank you" but in the english dub, it was switched to "I love you", which is a totally different meaning. But what happened, happened so it's cool, haha.**  
 **-This chapter has a lot of original scenes not from the game. Hope you'll enjoy the interactions. HINT* title of the chapter ***

 **EddBlackheart: I don't think I'll actually cover the side-quest of Jude and Milla Pengyeon thing. It was a nice cameo in the game but things like that just feels it's fun for cameo sake**

 **pensuka: Well you'll find out in this chapter! Huuray :D**

 **Well that's it for responding to reviews. I hope you guys will enjoy this new chapter and do let me know your thoughts of the new chapter or how the story is coming along. Till next time!**

 **CHAPTER 6: BONDS**

The Exorcist soldiers were now divided. One half had to deal with Ludger and Rokurou, who were in front of the church and the other half had to handle the arrival of Velvet and Milla. The praetor in charge of Hellawes, Lady Teresa, wanted to support her brother earlier but due Velvet and Milla's arrival, she now switched her focus to deal with the new threat. Oscar remained at the church to make sure Ludger or Rokurou did not escape or rescue Jude.

Milla and Velvet were still around the main gate as the Exorcist soldiers slowly surrounded them. Milla saw Ludger and Rokurou fighting near the church and she also saw Jude held captive. She was relieved to see he was safe and could now focus on what she had to do.

"Velvet, I leave them to you." Milla said simply.

Velvet gave a simple nod, "Right. We'll meet at the port. If you're late, we'll leave you behind."

"Understood." Milla responded. Then she barked an order to the Great Four, "Clear a path for me!"

Efreet, Gnome, Undine and Sylph all obeyed, preparing their respective artes. Milla started running towards the direction of the inn. When some of the Exorcist soldiers stood in her path, Sylph blew them away with a powerful gush of wind. When others tried to again stop her, Efreet surrounded Milla with scorching hot flames, dissuading their attempts while Undine neutralized the heat on Milla with cooling water. Then any Exorcists that attacked from afar with artes were foiled by Gnome's artes, creating rocks to intercept the enemy artes. The Exorcists were powerless to stop the Lord of Spirits.

To reach the inn, the shortest route would be passing through the church but in order to not get involved with Ludger and Rokurou's fight, Milla took a different route. It costs more time if she avoided getting involved in a battle, it would save her time. She placed her faith on her friends that they could handle themselves. A short moment later, Milla was gone.

"Don't let her escape! Some of you go after her!" Teresa ordered. Around four Exorcist orderlies ran after Milla.

Velvet eyed her surroundings and said to Teresa, "Instead of ordering your subordinates around, how about you come and face me?"

"I won't fall for your taunts!" Teresa declared, "My brother has already warned me of your abilities. I will make sure you fall here, daemon!"

"Brother?" Velvet looked ahead and spotted the praetor Oscar in combat against Ludger. "That's the guy who tried to stop us at the prison island. Ah, I see… so he's your brother. I guess that's how you found out about us."

"Everyone! Beware her left arm!"

Velvet took that as her cue to begin her assault, leaping towards the nearest Exorcist and swiping the Exorcist like a rag doll with her demonic arm. When another Exorcist tried to attack from behind, Velvet spun around and threw an earth-shattering kick on the Exorcist's face, instantly knocking him out. Velvet continued her assault by moving to the next Exorcist and delivering three deep gashes with her blade. In a matter of seconds, three Exorcists were out of commission.

"Number Two!" Teresa barked. Apparently while Velvet was engaging the Exorcists, Teresa had summoned her two malakhim to her side.

The young malak casted a fireball and threw it at Velvet. The black-haired daemon noticed it at the nick of time, tumbling to the side as the fireball just flew past her and blasted a nearby building, leaving burnt marks.

"You won't be making it out of here alive, daemon!" Teresa said with venom.

"Just try and stop me." Velvet spat before charging towards Teresa. The two women clashed, with Teresa using her staff to block Velvet's gauntlet blade.

Meanwhile with Ludger and Rokurou, the duo was still engaged with their own fight with Ludger taking on the praetor Oscar while Rokurou dealt with the surrounding Exorcists.

Rokurou was getting a thrill fighting so many opponents non-stop. Each time he cut down one Exorcist, two more would replace him. It was almost like watching a God of war dancing through the battlefield as the spiky-haired daemon continuously defeated scores of Exorcist soldiers while none managed to touch him. Despite his excitement however, even he knew he had his limits so he wondered how much longer he could keep this up before his stamina was drained up.

Ludger and Oscar also were locked in a duel with neither winning nor losing. However Oscar did take note that this time, Ludger was engaging him with just his sledgehammer and not his powers, the Chromatus, like at the prison island. This actually infuriated the usually calm praetor.

"What're you waiting for? Face me like how you did last time!" Oscar demanded.

Ludger ignored Oscar's words and continued to fight the praetor with his sledgehammer and occasionally switching to his dual pistols. Oscar lunged in and thrust his sword forward which Ludger managed to side-step the attack. Oscar then backed away as Ludger slammed his hammer downwards, smashing the spot where Oscar stood a second ago.

" _Hammer Toss!"_

Ludger threw his sledgehammer forward, catching Oscar by surprise as Ludger had never made a move like that. Oscar rolled to the side as the hammer flew past him only for it to come flying back, returning to Ludger's grasp. Ludger finally got on the offensive, swinging and spinning his sledgehammer while Oscar had some trouble keeping up with it. Also the fact the sledgehammer carried more weight and power in each swing meant that Oscar blocking each attack numbed his sword-arm. Finally at one point Ludger smashed his sledgehammer against Oscar's sword that it broke through the praetor's defense, leaving himself open. But before Ludger could deal the finishing blow, something else happened.

It came as a surprise to almost everyone as the storehouse of the shipping guild exploded with a thunderous bang. A pillar of fiery smoke and dust ran upwards to the sky, which everyone in Hellawes could see. The fighting at the church came to a stop as everyone's attention was now at the thick, black pillar of smoke.

"What happened?" Oscar said with his jaw wide open in disbelief.

Teresa stared at the direction of the smoke and realized what could have caused the explosion, "The storehouse of flamestones… everything! But how?"

With everyone preoccupied by the confusion, Jude finally seized his chance. His captors only consisted of two Exorcists and they were each on his sides. So in a split second, he suddenly delivered a devastating headbutt on the Exorcist to his left, immediately knocking him unconscious. The Exorcist to Jude's right reacted too slowly as Jude kneed the Exorcist on the midsection and followed it up with a thunderous kick on the Exorcist's chest, blasting him through the church's door.

Jude was now free from his captors but he couldn't call for help as he was still gagged and his hands tied by a handcuff.

Velvet saw Jude's actions and quickly took action as well, charging towards the unguarded Lady Teresa. Teresa only noticed when Velvet was just inches away from her but it was too late then. The black-haired daemon spun around and threw a powerful kick across Teresa's chest, knocking her off her feet and landing on her back several feet away.

"Sister!" Oscar cried out, running to his sister's side. Teresa's two malak, Number One and Number Two, only stared at their defeated master.

Velvet turned towards Ludger and Rokurou, "You two! Grab Jude and make for the port!"

"Got it!" Ludger exclaimed.

"We're with you!" Rokurou added as he and Ludger moved towards Jude.

Ludger disposed of the gag on Jude's lips and Rokurou used one of the dual blades to cut open Jude's cuffs. Now that they have rescued Jude and the Exorcists disorganized, they quickly made a run for the port. When it was obvious that they were now making a run for it, Magilou came out of hiding, running after them.

"Hey! Aren't you forgetting someone?!" Magilou called out as she followed Velvet and the others.

Once Teresa has recovered and was okay, Oscar made a beeline towards the port. He was not going to let them escape him for the second time. As for Teresa, she gave quick orders to the Exorcists to head for the port and put out the fire.

XXXXX

Milla burst into the inn and sprinted towards the room where Seres was while the Great Four guarded the entrance. The innkeeper, now aware that Milla was amongst the fugitives the Abbey was hunting, hid behind the counter.

Milla arrived at the room Seres was in and entered. She let out a breath of relief when she found that Seres was still on bed. She approached the bed quickly and moved to carry her. However when she touched the red-haired malak, she noticed Seres was burning up.

"M-Milla…? It's you, isn't it?" Seres said weakly with half-closed eyes. Not only did her fever get worse, she was sweating profusely as well.

"We have to escape. I'm sorry, but please just bear with it a little longer." Milla said.

Milla ordered Efreet to her side and the Great Spirit of fire appeared. Since Efreet was the largest of the Four, it was much easier for him to carry Seres in his arms. When Efreet grabbed the red-haired malak, he immediately noticed her condition had deteriorated.

"Lord Maxwell, she's getting worse." Efreet said.

"I am aware of that." Milla replied, "We need to hurry to the port. Hopefully Jude will be able to treat Seres once we've escaped."

Milla raced out of the room with Efreet following closely behind. Milla regrouped with the other Great Spirits and then left the inn. In order to avoid going through the hassle of the Exorcists, Milla used a different route to get to the church. It was a longer route but it was worth to avoid the hassle on dealing with the Exorcists.

"I hope we can make it." Milla said to herself. The Great Four spirits continued to follow her, keeping a watchful eye on all directions.

XXXXXX

Velvet, Ludger, Jude, Rokurou and Magilou arrived at the port to find the area filled with smoke, burning buildings along with some ships and even small boats engulfed in flames. While they dashed through the port, the townspeople were either busy panicking or trying to put out the fire themselves, although to no avail.

There was actually only one ship in sight that was not in flames and from the looks of it, it was the ship that Dyle had secured. Velvet and the party continued running, moving to board the ship. As they neared the ship, it was only then that Dyle revealed himself at the upper-decks.

"It's a daemon!" Ludger cried out, pulling out his dual pistols.

"Don't! He's with us!" Velvet said. Ludger nodded and quickly put his guns down.

Dyle laughed at that, "You've got quite the hot-headed companion, eh Velvet? We're ready to set sail, so move it! We don't know when those Exorcists will – whoa!"

At the last second, Dyle noticed a fireball coming at him and jumped back at the last second. The fireball landed on the wooden railing of the ship, burning. Dyle acted quickly, putting out the flames by smothering it with his tail.

Velvet, Ludger and the others turned around to see the culprit. The fireball was thrown by Number Two, the malakhim tethered to Teresa – and he wasn't alone. Lady Teresa, her two malakhim along with her brother, Oscar, stood in front of the party.

"I won't let you escape. Never!" Teresa declared.

Instead of moving to engage the party, Oscar leaped onto a nearby pile of boxes and from there, jumped and landed on the upper-decks of the ship.

"Sister, you attack them from the front. I'll disable what I can on the ship to make sure they can't escape!" Oscar exclaimed, pulling out his sword.

"You ain't touchin' nothing!" Dyle shouted as he pulled out his own sword and shield to engage Dyle.

Velvet saw that while Dyle was skilled enough to fend Oscar on his own, the praetor's objective was only to disable the ship to prevent them from escaping. That meant Oscar's aim was probably to destroy the ship's wheel and sails. Defeating Dyle was not his aim. And also Teresa would most likely try and buy time so that Oscar could complete his mission. The best course of action would be to defeat Teresa while keeping Oscar preoccupied from destroying anything.

"Ludger, go and help Dyle! Make sure Oscar doesn't ruin our escape!" Velvet ordered.

"Yeah, I'll handle him. You guys hurry and deal with her!" Ludger said. Considering that they needed the ship to escape, Ludger decided to go all out. He took out his pocket watch and activated his level one Chromatus form.

"I'll go and help too!" Jude said and ran towards the ship.

Once draped in his Chromatus form, Ludger boarded the ship to stop Oscar. He saw Dyle doing his best to stop Oscar but the young praetor was quick on his feet, finally dashing past the lizard daemon and going for the helm. Ludger lunged forward and just before Oscar could destroy the ship's wheel with his sword, Ludger's lance connected first, blocking Oscar's sword from reaching its target.

Oscar saw Ludger was in his Chromatus form and gritted his teeth, "None of you are getting away. I'll make sure of that!"

Ludger said nothing and shoved his lance forward, forcing the young praetor backwards. With a battle cry, Oscar lunged forward again and the two clashed. Dyle would have joined in but he needed to start untying the knots on the sails. He needed to make preparations to set sail.

"I'll help you prepare the ship. We'll leave Ludger to deal with him. Let's go!" Jude said to Dyle. The lizard daemon agreed and prepared to set sail.

Meanwhile at the port, Velvet and Rokurou were busy dealing with Teresa and her two tethered malak. Magilou just watched from behind Velvet and Rokurou. Teresa engaged the pair at the same time, spinning her staff around her. As Velvet and Rokurou was being occupied by Teresa, this allowed Number One and Number Two free reign to cast their artes. Number One fired a fireball at Velvet while Number Two created a pillar of flames around Rokurou.

Velvet gracefully dodged the fireball while Rokurou leaped backwards to avoid the flames. Teresa charged towards Velvet and swung her staff around. Velvet this time used her gauntlet blade to block it, took a quick step-forward and thrust her blade forward. Teresa saw the move and managed to parry it with her staff but this left her wide open as Rokurou appeared at her side and shoved both dual blades forward. But just before Rokurou's blades could make contact, Number Two managed to create a temporary barrier around Teresa, protecting her from physical farm. Rokurou's blades made contact but it was like hitting a brick wall. Teresa used this chance to regroup with her two malakhim.

Teresa wanted to move in for another attack but collapsed down to one-knee. The injury she received from Velvet earlier at the church caught up to her and not to mention she was also exhausted. She glanced at her brother on the ship and saw that he had no luck with trying to disable the ship. She saw that Dyle and Jude were halfway from completing their preparations. At the rate they were going, she knew the daemons and fugitives would escape.

Desperate, Teresa had one last ace up her sleeve. "…As Exorcist praetor Teresa, I give you this order. Number Two, do it!"

The malak known as Number Two complied with no hesitation, running to Velvet and the others. Once he was halfway near them, he started channeling an arte in the palm of his hands. It looked like a fireball except that the fireball was growling larger by the second.

Magilou immediately sensed what was about to happen. "The kid's gonna blow himself up!" Magilou cried.

Velvet sprung into action. Before Number Two could finish his arte, she ran towards the young malak, sent a kick square on the boy's chest, stunning the boy and disabling his arte. Then she followed it up with another spinning kick across the boy's face, which sent Number Two off his feet and trashing through the ground. He was still conscious but the two kicks definitely stopped whatever he tried to do.

Velvet wanted to then resume her attack on Teresa but chose not to when she saw another Exorcist had appeared and was helping Teresa up. Velvet recognized the newcomer while it was Rokurou and Magilou's first time seeing her.

"Are you okay?" Eleanor asked as she helped pull Teresa back to her feet.

"What are you doing here?" Teresa asked.

"I heard the explosion earlier so I had to come and investigate." Eleanor explained and then turned towards Velvet and company. "You… To think you were actually a daemon! I should have known!"

"…You're that crybaby Exorcist."

Eleanor blushed and was infuriated at that, "I wasn't crying! How rude!"

"Hey Velvet, what do we do?" Rokurou asked, "Judging from the red-head's stance and form, I can tell she's pretty good. If things drag out, we aren't getting out of here."

Velvet knew that too. They cannot waste any more time taking on Teresa and Eleanor. Once the Exorcists were done with putting out the fires, they would converge on them. Velvet glared at the groaning Number Two she disabled earlier and remembered how Teresa wanted to use him as a bomb. No doubt he possessed powerful artes at his disposal. Desperate, she activated her demonic arm and grabbed the boy's body with it.

Velvet was about to threaten Number Two to help her, but in the end, she didn't have to.

Milla Maxwell finally arrived at the port and spotted Velvet and the group was at. She also noticed Teresa from earlier as well as the red-haired Exorcist named Eleanor. No doubt those two Exorcist praetors were trying to stop the party. Since the pair had their focus on Velvet and company, the two didn't notice Milla coming from behind.

"Cast them aside." Milla ordered her Great Spirits.

Teresa and Eleanor never knew what hit them. Sylph summoned a blast of air to throw Eleanor away while Gnome summoned a pillar of earth below Teresa, knocking her aside as well. With them out of the way for a moment, Milla regrouped with the others.

"That's everyone. Everybody, board the ship now!" Velvet ordered.

Magilou was the first to run and board the ship followed by Rokurou and then Milla accompanied by the Great Four Spirits. Efreet was still carrying Seres in his arms. Velvet deactivated her demonic arm and was the last to board the ship and in her haste did not notice she was still holding Number Two.

Dyle saw that everyone had boarded the ship and shouted to Jude, "Kid! Loose the sails now!"

Jude nodded and untied the last two knots which opened the sails. Dyle had finished pulling the anchor, which he was able to do alone thanks to the enhanced strength as a daemon. The ship soon left port and was sailing into open waters.

The only problem the party had right now was that Oscar was still on board, locked in combat with Ludger. Oscar looked around him and saw that he was alone and the ship had left port. He failed his mission and now he was alone. He was too absorbed in trying to defeat Ludger he had not paid attention to his surroundings.

"What do we do with him?" Rokurou asked.

Oscar pointed his sword at the spiky-haired daemon, panting heavily. The talented praetor was exhausted. "I… I will stop all of you alone. I won't yield… not to daemons like you. That's why, I…"

Before Oscar could finish his sentence, Jude appeared in front of Oscar suddenly and sunk his fist deep into Oscar's midsection. The impact, power and suddenness knocked the wind out of the praetor before collapsing forward, unconscious.

"He's just unconscious." Jude revealed, "He's not a bad person so I didn't want to kill him. Just tie him up and once we reach a town or city, we can leave him there."

"I'll handle him." Rokurou said, grabbing the unconscious Oscar and went searching for some ropes to tie the praetor with.

Dyle was at the helm of the ship and spoke out, "Just so you know, we're not out of the woods yet. Jude and Ludger, that's your names was it? Help me with the sails! Make sure the ropes are tied tightly and safely!"

Ludger and Jude obeyed as they started to do what Dyle asked. As for Milla, she entered the captain's cabin so that she could put Seres on the bed to rest. Once Jude was done with the ship, she would ask him to see if he could help deal with Seres's fever. After all, he was the only qualified doctor on board.

Velvet could relax for now. They have successfully escaped Hellawes.

XXXX

Meanwhile back at the port of Hellawes, the townspeople and Exorcists were still busy trying to put out the fire. The flames were still going wild and were beginning to spread to the other buildings. The fact that almost all ships were caught on fire means that they were out of commission for a long while. Basically Hellawes was going to suffer a huge blow to their economic growth.

While Eleanor was busy taking charge of the situation, Teresa was stunned and continued to stare at the ship sailing farther and farther away.

"My brother… my brother is still on that ship." Teresa whispered, "Please… please be safe from those daemons."

Eleanor herself could not believe that Hellawes could be put into such a terrible situation by a small crew. "The daemons and run-away fugitives are a big threat. The Abbey – no, Lord Artorius himself must be informed!"

XXXXX

The ship had sailed far enough that Hellawes was no longer in sight. Also unlike before when Velvet and company escaped from the prison island, this time they had Dyle to be in charge of navigating the ship. Since he had experience as a sailor, they were in much safer hands than last time.

Rokurou found some rope down below in the ship's storeroom and tied the unconscious Oscar at the crew's quarters. As for Jude, he just came out of the captain's cabin after tending to Seres. Although he couldn't treat the fever, he was able to lessen it to the extent that Seres was able to sleep soundly at least. Milla remained in the captain's cabin to watch over Seres's condition. If it got worse again, she could call for him.

"So I guess we're safe for now." Ludger said with a sigh of relief.

Rokurou had to agree, "I'd say things turned out way better than expected, considering we just improvied the whole way. Although we wound up with a little extra."

Velvet cocked her head to the side, "…Extra?"

Rokurou and Magilou looked at Velvet and then gestured to what she was still holding on her left hand. She looked and her widened in surprise as she was still holding the malak known as Number Two. When she dispelled her demonic arm earlier, she had forgotten to let go, thus accidentally bringing the malak on board with them.

The malak Number Two just stared at Velvet with a blank expression – no fear and no emotion. It was like the boy didn't understand his predicament.

"What should we do with the boy?" Ludger asked, "Do we, uh… tie him up as well?"

Magilou snickered mischievously and said, "I'd say he'd be a scrumptious midday snack for Velvet."

Velvet gave a displeased look. Number Two however just blankly said, "…A snack?"

"Don't worry kid, she's just teasing."

"…No. If that's an order, I accept it." Number Two answered flatly.

Jude got down on his knees to get to the boy's eye-level, "Don't worry, Teresa isn't here now. You don't have to talk like that."

The young malak stared blankly at Jude, "…Is that an order?"

"H-Huh? No."

"…I can speak normally if that's your order."

Jude thought the boy was just being like that because he was afraid of Teresa's punishment but it appears that the boy had been trained this way to the point it was now his way of life. The thought sickened Jude. He couldn't fathom how the Abbey, an organization that was practically the saviors of this world, could treat another living thing as tools. Just because malakhim were different to humans didn't justify that they should be treated as such!

"This… this is just cruel. How can they do this?" Jude whispered. After all, he was kind and soft-hearted by nature. It was because of his sense of justice was how he got involved with Elize a year ago. So he also wanted to help this malak, although he didn't know how.

Ludger saw Jude looking distraught and took note of this. He needed to speak with him about it later.

Rokurou was still troubled about having the young malak on board, "Still though, should we really be taking this kid along?"

"His artes will be useful to us. And we can always get rid of him." Velvet answered.

"You think he'd just follow us around?" Ludger said.

"You heard him. He just follows orders. If we give him an order, he'll do it no questions asked."

Ludger narrowed his eyes, "And you're fine with just using him like that?"

"I told you before, haven't I? I'll use any tool at my disposal to achieve what I want. That's all there is to it."

Ludger looked at Number Two and saw he still had the same emotionless look on his face. So he chose not to say anything since there wasn't a point.

"It's just how it is." Magilou remarked, "Malakhim are tools. So if anything, Velvet's just using them correctly. Use 'em and ditch 'em! Isn't that right, Number Two?"

"…Yes."

Velvet glared at Number Two and just grunted in annoyance. What she hated was the fact that the young malak looked quite like her brother, Laphicet. Jude and Ludger also chose to end their discussion there.

After that, everyone just minded their own business. Jude and Milla spent most of their time inside the captain's cabin, taking care of and watching over Seres's condition. She still had a fever but at least she wasn't burning up. Dyle was still in charge of steering the ship, staying at the helm while instructing both Ludger and Rokurou what needed to be done. Basically the lizard daemon was working the pair to the bone. As for the malak Number Two, he just stayed at the center of the deck just behind the safety railings, staring out at the open sea.

Rokurou just finished tying some knots on the upper deck when Velvet approached him.

"You seem busy." Velvet said plainly.

"No kidding. Dyle's been working me and Ludger like a slave. Guess that's to be expected since there are only three of us to man the ship. We really need more hands."

"You'll have to bear with it for now."

"Looks like it." Rokurou said as he finished tying some ropes for the sails, "Does that knot look safe to you?"

"Sure. As long as it doesn't come loose."

Since Velvet was close by, Dyle called out to her, "So Velvet, where're we headed? Can't just go sailing forever with nowhere to go."

"Our destination is Loegress. Set a course." Velvet answered.

"The capital, huh? Well, I'll do what I can, but this vessel really needs a bigger crew. We need to hire more men."

"You're the second one to tell me that. For now, just make do with what we have. Get us to the capital and we'll figure something out about a crew."

Dyle nodded, "Right. Not like we have much of a choice, considering we just escaped Hellawes. Anyway, I saw the compass you had around the center deck. You mind finding it? I need to find out our current heading."

"Sure."

Velvet climbed down the stairs from the upper deck to the center deck of the ship. As she searched for the compass, she noticed that the malak Number Two was still positioned where he was earlier, just staring out into the open sea with a blank expression. When she finally found the compass, she picked it up.

Due to the nature of the sea, the ship was swaying left and right so Velvet struggled to try and keep the compass balanced. Suffice to say, she failed miserably.

Velvet groaned in frustration, "Ugh… this is so hard to read."

"Actually… you're holding it wrong." A soft voice said. Velvet turned to the source of the voice and it was from the malak, Number Two. He pointed at the base of the compass, "It's built to function even if the ship is rolling."

Velvet followed where the boy was pointing and gripped the compass by the base. Just as Number Two said, the compass stabilized and finally gave an accurate heading. Velvet was actually impressed. She never knew that about compasses.

"Hey Velvet, you got our heading or not?" Dyle demanded from the helm.

"Our heading's fine!" Velvet answered before turning back to Number Two. "Hey, kid. What's your name?"

"…Number Two."

"Not that. Your real name. Surely you have one."

The boy shook his head. Velvet didn't know what to say since she wasn't expecting an answer like that. She remembered however that the malak seemed particularly fascinated with the compass.

"Here. Want to hold it?" Velvet asked, offering the compass.

Number Two's eyes widened and were reaching out his hands to hold the compass. But he stopped at the last second, and hesitated, "…If that's an order."

"I'm asking you what _YOU_ want."

"…So you're ordering me to answer?"

Velvet gave up after that, "Right… You malakhim would destroy yourselves as long as it was an order, wouldn't you?"

"…That is our purpose."

"You really are tools." Velvet said before turning around and walking away, "In that case, just keep your mouth shut."

Number Two slowly nodded, marking it as an order given to him by Velvet.

Velvet returned to the upper deck of the ship, frustrated with the conversation she just had with Number Two. For three years, she lived only with the desire to get her revenge on Artorius. But since Number Two looked so much like her brother, she couldn't help but feel some of her compassion returning. But Number Two only looked similar to her brother. The two were completely different.

Velvet looked around the ship. Magilou was still at the front of the ship, Rokurou and Dyle here on the upper deck. Milla and Jude were at the captain's cabin tending to Seres, so that only left one person.

"Where's Ludger?" Velvet asked.

"Think I saw him going to the lower deck. Maybe he's checking on that praetor." Rokurou guessed.

At that moment, Ludger climbed the stairs and just came out of the lower deck. What was off about him was that he had an apron around his waist and he appears to have a chef's hat.

"Ludger, what's with that attire?" Rokurou asked the young Kresnik.

Ludger grinned, "I was just checking around the ship and found their kitchen – and turns out they got a lot of fresh ingredients. So I thought I'd whip us all something to eat. I need to finish the final preparations so you guys should come on down and grab something to eat. You must be starving."

"Well, we're daemons so we don't really get hungry – but some warm food accompanied with a good drink, that's what I'm talkin' about." Rokurou said.

"Well count me in." Magilou said from afar, "I'm up for some grubbin'!"

"…Guess I can grab a quick bite before returning to the helm." Dyle reasoned.

"Is it safe to do that? I mean, you being in charge of navigation and all." Rokurou asked.

"Should be fine if I'm only gone for a minute or so. Like I said, I'll just go down, grab a quick bite and haul my tail back up here."

"Call Jude and Milla for me. I need to set the plates." Ludger said as he returned below deck. Magilou hurried and was the first to descent to the lower decks. Dyle followed next while Rokurou headed for the captain's cabin first to summon Milla and Jude. Like Dyle, Jude promised he would only be down for a short while as he wanted to monitor Seres's condition.

Velvet turned to Number Two. She wanted to invite him to eat but still frustrated from their earlier conversation, decided not to. Besides it would be safe to have the young malak keep watch of what was going on up here. So Velvet climbed down the stairs to the lower deck.

When Velvet arrived at the dining area, Ludger had just finished setting up the plates for everyone. On the center of the medium-sized dining table were one large bowl and a long plate. The bowl contained Mabo Curry and the other dish was a plate of Tomato omelette.

"It isn't much, and I'm not very familiar with the recipe from this world, but I think you'll enjoy it." Ludger said as he took a seat.

Everyone helped themselves with the food. Dyle of course took a small portion, ate it all in one gulp and scrammed back to the upper deck. As the only sailor of the ship, it was his responsibility. Milla of course had always enjoyed the joy of eating ever since she experienced them, so accompanied it with Ludger's culinary skills and she was simply in bliss as she took the first spoonful. Jude just took a medium-sized amount.

Rokurou savored the taste and nodded in appreciation, "I gotta admit Ludger, this is rather good. I wasn't expecting you to actually be good in cooking."

"It's nothing special." Ludger replied modestly.

"So, got anything to drink?" Rokurou asked. Ludger grabbed what appeared to be a bottle of sake and poured it into the glass next to Rokurou's plate. "Ah that's great. I really need this."

While everyone seemed to be enjoying their food, Velvet took one spoon and just stopped. She didn't take another spoon and just stared blankly at the food in front of her.

Ludger was the one who noticed that Velvet wasn't touching her food. "What's wrong?" Ludger asked. This caught everyone's attention and all eyes were on Velvet.

"Nothing… Can't taste a thing." Velvet said softly.

"You… can't taste anything? The food, you mean?" Rokurou questioned, as if trying to understand.

Velvet nodded, "Nothing. There's no taste to it – although I can still taste blood when I devour daemons. I didn't know then I had lost my sense of taste."

"Hmm… then I guess it's different for others."

"What do you mean?" Velvet asked.

"Well, I didn't lose any of my sense of taste, but I've lost lots of my human feelings. Shame, fear, happiness – they're all the same to me. But deep down, I'm still the same person I always was. And as you've seen, I can still enjoy a good drink. So I guess being a daemon, you tend to lose something that makes you human."

"You mentioned earlier that we daemons don't feel hungry, which is true – I don't feel hungry. Do you think that's something all daemons share?"

Rokurou thought about it, "Maybe? Looks like Dyle doesn't need to eat either, so maybe that one is universal for us. I mean, I'd appreciate warm food every now and then, but I don't _need_ to eat."

Jude had to ask, "So then… Velvet, what have you been eating after all this time?"

"…Daemons, mostly. That's why I said I can still taste blood at least."

A short silence ensued in the dining room, except the sound of Magilou consuming her food. She didn't really bother to join the conversation, although she was listening at least.

Then Milla spoke up, "I'm sorry. Losing one's sense of taste, I… I can't imagine the loss."

"There's nothing to be sorry for. It doesn't bother me."

Milla shook her head, "You shouldn't say that. It was not too long ago when Jude and another friend taught me the joy of eating. To lose your sense of taste, it is a pleasure you are now deprived of. Don't treat it so lightly."

"…What does it matter? Crying about it isn't going to change anything. It won't give me my sense of taste back."

"No, it does not. But it doesn't mean you should care so little about it. It was what made you human."

Velvet glared at Milla in the eye, "And I'm a daemon now. There's no point in clinging to the past when…" Velvet stopped herself there and just stood up from the dining table, "…Forget it. I'm going to rest. Ludger, I appreciate your effort for cooking, but at least you know now to make one portion less."

With that, Velvet left the dining area. Once she was alone, she kept cursing at how she almost preached about not clinging to the past when in reality, her desire for revenge, her ultimate goal, came from what happened in the past.

' _I just don't get that woman.'_ Velvet thought in her head regarding Milla, _'One moment, it's like she understands me and the next, we're complete opposites. It's starting to annoy me.'_

Velvet brushed her thoughts away and sat down somewhere on the front deck of the ship. With her back on some barrels, she closed her eyes to rest. She didn't realize how exhausted she was as she soon drifted to sleep.

XXXXX

After Ludger and the others were done with their meal and cleaned up, they returned to the upper deck to find that it was already night time. Dyle had been on the helm the whole way and suggested that Rokurou and Ludger stayed up to take turns on the helm while he rested. Once he was well-rested, he would resume duty while Ludger and Rokurou took their turn to relax.

So while most of the crew slept or just relaxed through the night, Rokurou and Ludger took turns managing the helm. The two rather bonded through the night, with Rokurou asking Ludger questions about the world they came from, which was difficult to explain while Ludger asked Rokurou about his life under the Rangetsu clan.

Their conversation then drifted towards their training during their younger years. Ludger told Rokurou about how he was trained under his brother, although rather discreetly. It was from Julius that Ludger learned to use the three types of weapons. As for Rokurou, he explained how he used to spar with his brother and ultimately focused on the use of dual blades or daggers. The one thing both agreed on was that the pair's main choice of weapon was the art of dual wielding.

* * *

 **Skit: The Better Grip  
Present: Ludger & Rokurou**

 **Rokurou: Nothing's better than to just overwhelm your enemies with dual wielding. I mean, you get to see them try to match your movements, but they can't keep up, and that's the end of it.**

 **Ludger: *Chuckles* I wonder if everyone who uses dual blades sees it that way.**

 **Rokurou: I'm sure it's the same for everyone. *Thinking* I just don't get your reverse-grip style though. Feels uncomfortable.**

 **Ludger: Huh? Maybe, I guess, but it lets me attack faster, so I think it's the best way to grip a sword when dual wielding.**

 **Rokurou: You're just telling yourself that. Everyone knows the front-grip is the best form. Your guard is stronger that way too.**

 **Ludger: But the reverse-grip lets you continuously attack much easier, so you don't have to be on the defensive as much.**

 **Rokurou: So you're the kind of guy that just always goes on the offensive, huh?**

 **Ludger: *Grins* Best defense is a good offense.**

 **Rokurou: Well that's true… to a certain extent anyway. But you can't rely on being on the offensive all the time.**

 **Ludger: That's the point of using three types of weapons. I adapt to the situation. If I need defense and power, I use the sledgehammer, and for range, I…**

 **Rokurou: We're just talking about the art of dual wielding though.**

 **Ludger: Right, right… Well, I guess we won't know which grip is the better one. Unless…**

 **Rokurou: …Unless we have a little spar and find out.**

 **Ludger: I guess that works.**

 **Rokurou: *Smirks* Well, let me get my own pair of dual blades first so that I can return yours. Until then, our little spar will have to be put on hold.**

 **Ludger: *Smiles* Just don't keep me waiting too long.**

* * *

XXXXX

" _Velvet…? Hey, Velvet!"_

 _Velvet groaned and her eyes slowly fluttered open. She could feel someone's arm on her, shaking her lightly, trying to rouse her from her sleep. Her vision was blurry but as she slowly adjusted to the light, it took a while for her to register as to who she was looking at. A boy with shoulder-length blonde hair and yellow eyes. She could never forget who he was._

"… _Laphi?" Velvet murmured._

" _You were crying out. Were you having a nightmare?"_

 _Velvet summoned all the strength in her and latched it around her brother, hugging him with all her might. She was shedding tears of joy and relief to see her precious brother before her again._

" _Hey, c'mon, let go of me." Laphicet protested, "I have to go. I have something important to do. Arthur told me to come meet him at the shrine of tranquility."_

 _Velvet's eyes widened in shock and without a word, Laphicet turned around and walked away. She got up to try and stop him but when she took one step forward, her wrists and heels were wrapped in flames, acting like ropes and preventing her from reaching out to her brother._

" _Laphicet, no! Don't go! Listen to me! Artorius, he… he's going to…!"_

* * *

Velvet's eyes opened suddenly and she looked around, trying to find her brother. However she was instead staring at the face of Ludger and Rokurou. Behind the pair was Magilou, who was also looking at her.

"You okay?" Rokurou asked with concern, "You were tossing and turning."

Velvet slowly nodded, "I… I'm fine. It was just a dream."

"Must've been one hell of a dream if it disturbed even you." Magilou said with a raised eyebrow.

Velvet stood up and surveyed her surroundings. They were still on the ship they stole but the sky was bright. Night had already passed, meaning her short nap turned into a day's sleep. She didn't realize how exhausted she really was.

Velvet walked towards the center deck and minded her own business. She didn't expect Loegress, the capital city, to be so far from Hellawes as they have been sailing for quite some time now. She just wanted to find Artorius and be done with it – although she knew it wouldn't be that easy. Artorius was a master swordsman of his own right, even after he lost the use of his sword-arm.

Velvet was removed from her thoughts when Ludger, Jude and Milla approached her. From the looks on their faces, they had something they wanted to talk about.

"What is it?" Velvet asked.

Milla initiated the conversation, "We escaped Hellawes and finally have some time free from any pursuers. We thought it's time we know what your goal is."

Velvet closed her eyes and thought about it. After a few seconds, she opened her eyes again and answered, "I want revenge on a man that took something precious from me."

"…Was it the one that sacrificed your brother?" Milla asked.

Velvet remembered she told Milla this when they were talking about the princessia flower. "…Yes. The only reason I broke out of prison is to find this man, and kill him. I don't care if I die after that."

Jude trudged through his memories before asking, "I recall when we met you for the first time at the prison island, you said to Seres you were after Artorius. Is… that the person's name?"

"…So you even paid attention to that. Yes, that's the man's name – Artorius Collbrande, the proclaimed savior of the world."

"Wait… if he's the _'savior'_ , then does that mean… he's the leader of the Abbey?!" Jude asked.

Velvet nodded, "Most likely."

"So that means you're basically declaring war on the Abbey!" Ludger exclaimed.

"If that's what it takes for me to get to Artorius, then yes."

"That's suicide!"

"Like I said, I don't care. As long as I get my revenge, I won't care what happens to me after." Velvet stated plainly.

Jude and Ludger couldn't offer anything to say. For the trio, the only reason they have been fighting against the Abbey was only because they escaped from prison. Now that they were gone from Hellawes, they didn't want to go out of their way to openly wage war against the largest organization of this foreign world.

Milla ultimately came to a decision, "If that's the case, then I'm afraid we'll separate after reaching the capital of your world. I apologize Velvet, but we don't have any interest to fight against the Abbey. Our goal isn't to accompany you on your quest for revenge."

"It's fine. The only reason we have been working together is because we had a common goal – to escape. We've already achieved that, so I understand if you wish to leave."

It was the best outcome for the trio and Velvet's group. While having them work together proved to be a formidable asset, it was only because they shared similar interests. But after they reach Loegress, it would signal the end to their alliance.

It was Velvet now who had a question, "Can I ask you something then?"

"What is it?" Milla spoke.

"What is YOUR goal? You asked me what I want, it is only fair that you tell me yours."

It was Ludger who answered, "We're looking for a divergence catalyst."

"And where will you find that?"

"Honestly, we don't know." Ludger replied, "But when we find it, we'll know."

Velvet smiled this time, "…A divergence catalyst, huh? Never heard of it. Well, good luck with that. Once we reach the capital, it'll be farewell for us then."

Milla nodded, "It appears so."

That ended their conversation and the trio walked away, leaving Velvet alone. It was settled then. For the group, it was bound to happen anyway. The only reason they have been together until now had always been because they had a similar goal – except Rokurou, who was only following because he wanted to settle his debt for finding _Stormhowl._ Then there was Magilou, who no one knew what her motive was. Regardless, at least until they arrived at Loegress, they would still be working together.

"This is for the best anyway." Ludger said finally, turning to Jude, "Remember Jude, we aren't from this world. It will be just more difficult for us if we get attached to them. I saw how you wanted to help the boy Number Two yesterday. That's why every time we enter a fractured dimension, we do it quick. It just makes it harder for us if we interact with them."

Jude nodded, "I know, but… it's hard. And this isn't like any fractured dimension we've been to. This is a whole new world. We need them because they're native to this world. And we don't even know what the divergence catalyst for this world is."

Ludger took out his GHS and dialed Vera's number. No dial tone. Without Vera, they really had no clue as to where to search for the divergence catalyst.

"For now, we're still travelling together." Milla said, "We'll only separate once we arrive at the capital. Maybe from there we can get some information on the catalyst. All we can do now is to get any relevant information."

"How can we get information though?" Ludger questioned, "It's not like anyone from this world knows what a catalyst is. And…"

Ludger never got to finish his sentence as a loud blast was heard. A second later, something smashed the ship from behind, causing the ship to shake violently. Due to the impact, the compass that Velvet had placed on the ship fell into the sea.

"W-What's going on?" Jude cried out in a panic.

Rokurou ran to the back of the ship and saw an unknown ship behind them. "Canon fire astern! Pirates!" Rokurou reported.

Dyle looked back and recognized the flag on the unknown ship. "That flag… it's got to be Aifread's pirate crew!"

Magilou checked the situation and said, "They've got a bead on us, folks. And in case you hadn't noticed, we aren't really equipped for sea combat."

The pirate ship continued firing canons at them, some missing while others connecting, blasting holes into the ship's body. As Magilou pointed out, they had no way of returning fire and from the looks of it, the pirate ship was much faster than the ship they were on. So they couldn't outrun the pirate ship nor were they prepared for a naval battle.

"Hey Velvet, what do we do?" Dyle demanded.

Velvet looked around and to her relief, saw land in the distance, "To land! We can fight them there!"

"Aye, aye!"

Dyle spun the ship's wheel as fast as he could and steered the ship to the south-east. Once the pirate ship noticed what their target was planning, they stopped firing and followed closely behind. Due to the damage the ship had sustained, Dyle was unable to steer the ship properly and he was rushing to reach land. So once the ship was near, he didn't slow down and simply crashed the ship on the cliff, thereby sealing the ship's fate.

Velvet, Rokurou and everyone else quickly jumped to land and waited for the pirates. Milla had summoned Efreet earlier to carry Seres with her, so she was currently in Efreet's arms. The only one still inside the ship was the praetor Oscar, who had no idea what was going on.

After a minute or so, the pirate crew arrived and surrounded Velvet's party. Then a man with blonde hair and a pirate hat approached the group. What was interesting was that there was a bird on top of the pirate's hat.

"Well, look at that. They really are a bunch of daemons." The pirate said, "That works in our favor."

"You knowingly pick fights with daemons? Must have a death wish." Rokurou stated and took out the dual blades, "You're in trouble now that we're on land!"

The pirate with the blonde hair quickly stepped back, raising his hands, "Whoa there! We're not the ones you'll be fighting."

Velvet saw the pirate step aside to reveal another man stepping up. The man possessed blonde hair and blue eyes. He wore a pair of tailored trousers tightened with two belts and brown boots. His clothing consisted of an orange shirt covered by a loose white shirt and worn over that was a tight-black jacket, finally also accompanied by a black waistcoat.

The blonde-haired man looked at Velvet and her party and said, "You'll all be facing me."

"You can't be serious." Rokurou said, "It's six-against-one."

"If that's what he wants, we'll give it to him." Velvet said then ordered the malak Number Two, "Wipe him out, Number Two! That's an order."

Number Two nodded and threw his weapons, paper imbued with mana, towards the blonde-haired pirate. However the pirate never moved and just as the paper was about to hit him, the blonde pirate summoned medium-sized pillar of rocks from the ground, blocking the papers for him.

Velvet's eyes widened in shock, "A malak?"

"Looks like an earth-elemental malak too." Magilou added.

"So his spells work like Gnome's artes. Interesting." Milla commented.

The blonde pirate glared at everyone before he said, "Malak…? Wrong. I'm the Reaper."

He surprised everyone by applying a sudden burst of speed, dashing towards Velvet. This caught her by surprise and the blonde pirate smashed his fist downwards, smashing the ground. This created a shockwave accompanied by pillars of rock bursting upwards from the ground. Velvet, Ludger, Rokurou and everyone else was knocked backwards simultaneously.

"What's up with him?" Rokurou muttered as he got back up.

Jude blinked and said, "…That fighting style… He…"

Eizen charged towards Velvet and threw several blows at her with his fists. While she managed to block two, the third slipped through her defense and landed on around her shoulder, knocking her backwards. Velvet winced in pain and felt that the blow might have dislocated her left shoulder.

' _Damn it. His speed is decent but his fists are the problem. They carry quite a punch.'_ Velvet thought.

The blonde pirate saw Velvet seemed injured and seized his opportunity to eliminate the first of the six. He charged towards the black-haired daemon and charged his right hand for a blow. But just as he was inches away, another figure intercepted his path. The pirate didn't care about the interruption and decided to just eliminate Velvet's rescuer instead, throwing his charged fist at the newcomer. But to his surprise, the person threw his own fist and connected with the pirate's fist. Due to the power of the impact, a gust of wind whooshed around them.

"I'll handle him. You guys stand back." Jude said.

The blonde pirate narrowed his eyes and threw another punch but Jude blocked it, stepped forward and sent a kick. The pirate countered it by bashing the kick away with his right fist and countered by throwing his left fist forward. Jude parried it by smacking it away with his free hand with enough force that it altered the direction of the attack. After that, Jude and the pirate both backed off at the same time.

The pirate glared at Jude and cracked his knuckles, "I see… You're the same type as me then. We both use the same fighting style."

Jude moved into an offensive stance, raising his fists, "I noticed how you took advantage of your approach by keeping a close proximity on Velvet. By doing that, you make it harder for her to defend and attack since it slips over her sword's range."

The blonde pirate was impressed. Jude's analysis was correct. It has been a while since he met someone who matched the same fighting style as his – a person who utilized his fists as a weapon.

The blonde pirate put out a smile and instead of a relaxed pose he had earlier, this time he also raised his own fists, "Interesting. Let's just see how good you really are."

 **CHAPTER END**


	7. CHAPTER 7: AIFREAD PIRATES

**A/N: Hey guys, I bring to you all the new update for this story. After a month since completing ToB, the hype has finally died down. I'll probably be returning to writing the sequel to "A New Beginning" soon, so readers from my previous stories, you can look forward to that.**  
 **Now onto responding to reviewers!**

 **version15: Yup, I plan to have Dyle a little bit more involved in the story since he still has his tail and isn't completely useless.**  
 **-Yup wanted to have a 1on1 situation between Eizen and Jude as they both fight with the same style**

 **Tony Anderson: Glad you liked it. Yup, Oscar being captured felt as a nice little divergence**

 **mega1987: MMA match? Damn, I guess you could call it that, haha! XD**

 **Merlinius Ambrosius: I was going to actually consider using Symmone as you suggested, but a recent reviewer stated you're wrong about Symmone being tethered to Melchior. I try to stick to the story's lore and character as closely as possible in my stories, so I'm not sure which to follow.**  
 **-Hmm interesting about the Oscar brother. Any idea where I can find information about him. I didn't really come up much about him on google. I'm guessing it's on the official guidebooks?**  
 **-Damn, that'd suck on Ludger but it doesn't matter since that's only in his world... unless the curse lingers even after they return to ToX world**  
 **-The problem with recruiting Edna, Zaveid and Lailah will be having too many characters to focus on in this story. Unlike the game where we can visually see them, I have to dedicate lines to remind readers they are there. At least that's how I feel.**

 **NoNameAvailable Bis: Damn, I wasn't considering the Exorcists standard attire at the time, so that was an error on my part about the headbutt.**  
 **-As for Jude's analysis, it was just poor description on my part. I wanted to explain that while the wrist blade is definitely better at range, Eizen exploited it in the sense that you still need to swing or thrust and by sticking to close range, Eizen's focus was to deflect Velvet's wrist away while leaving him to immediately counter attack since he's near**  
 **-Okay this is going to be long as I agree that Oscar wasn't respected in the game, and I'm trying to give him more spotlight in the story. There are lots of factors about the last chapter about him you pointed out that I wish to explain.**  
 **-Velvet never thought Dyle could handle Oscar alone, she even told Ludger to help Dyle in the chapter. Secondly, even if Dyle was left alone, you aren't giving him enough credit. While it's true Oscar can defeat him given enough time, Dyle is at least skilled enough to handle on his own for a while. Don't forget that he managed to take on Velvet and Rokurou, which he still lost, but he was at least able to fend on his own. As other reviewers stated, Dyle losing his tail in the game and how it affected his balance is a reason why he apparently couldn't fight as well. This story didn't have him lose his tail, and he's skilled enough to at least buy some time (which wasn't necessary as he only fought Oscar alone for a short while before Ludger came to help with Jude).**  
 **-Also Oscar is able to at least fight Ludger in a 1on1 scenario on equal terms to some extent (at least that's how I see it, hence why I wrote it that way). Oscar never managed to do what he needed on the ship was simply because Ludger used his level 1 Chromatus form, and Dyle was still in that scenario.**  
 **-Actually the party didn't have that easy time against Oscar/Teresa and the Exorcist army. Ludger and Rokurou were surrounded and fending them off, that much is true, but they were being tired out. It was only Dyle exploding the storehouse that caused the distraction that allowed them to escape. One scene of Milla shoving the Exorcists to the side might make it seem easy, but the fact is, Milla is the Lord of Spirits, one of the most powerful characters in ToX itself. The fact that I've been writing in a way Milla doesn't utilize the Great Four spirits is already sort of a nerf, lol.**  
 **-And even then, don't forget that the party's goal was to escape Hellawes. At the port, it was only Oscar and Teresa trying to stop them as the other Exorcists were trying to put out the fire. If not for that, the party wouldn't have had the opportunity to escape cleanly.**  
 **-In the end, I don't deny that this story will be easier for the party to have any tension as the extra ToX characters is a huge lift to the ToB cast. I tend to do that in my stories, but then I add some problems of my own. But all in all, I appreciate your comments as it still helps me to try and improve!**

 **Kieranoi: There's some interaction between them in this chapter, hope you like them. I agree that there definitely is a contrast between the two characters. I'm just trying to make them interact without making it seem forced**

 **browntown747: You'll find out in this chapter**

 **Watermelonmuncher: Oh right, that's my mistake. Thanks for pointing it out. I'll correct it in the future**

 **Roxas Blaze: Glad you liked it. I can imagine it in my head how the scene plays out with Ludger, Jude and Milla as they participated in the escape of Hellawes. It would have been great! As for the spar, maybe that will happen, maybe it won't. The fact Rokurou is rather similar to Ludger is definitely interesting (he even has a Ludger outfit in the game), so a spar will be interesting to write.**  
 **-Ah yes, just like you, I've already planned to have Eizen and Jude go at it 1v1. So it was all about waiting for it to happen.**  
 **-Glad you liked the character development. Honestly it was rather tough to write out the whole scene on the ship as I had to think of what kind of development to take, what each characters should say etc. But all in all, I enjoyed how it turned out.  
-There's some interaction here between Ludger and Velvet. While I do want to progress their interactions, I have to keep Velvet in character as she did not openly talk with the others until later. **

**Someguy: Okay, now I'm not sure who to trust, lol. The one that mentioned about Symmone seemed rather knowledgable about the ToZ/ToB lore, but what you said also makes sense. I just need some official proof now, preferably from an official guidebook or something.**

 **CHAPTER 7: AIFREAD PIRATES**

The original plan for the pirates was to have their first-mate, Eizen, challenge the daemons to a fight to test their capabilities. However the first-mate appeared to have a change of plans as he was now only fixated on having a one-one-one duel with the young man with black hair – Jude Mathis.

"Let's see what you got, kid." Eizen said to Jude.

"But First-Mate, what about…" The other blonde pirate tried to say but Eizen stopped him.

"Don't worry, I didn't forget the reason we're doing this." Eizen said to the yellow-haired pirate and returned his focus to Jude, "Let's go."

The pirates circled and stood behind their First-Mate while Velvet, Milla and the others stayed behind on Jude's side. Jude and the blonde pirate continued to stare the other down, both judging their opponent and waiting for the other to strike. While the one to attack first had the advantage, it meant the one on the defensive could gain the upper-hand through a counter-attack.

It was Eizen that went on the offensive, again using his burst of speed to try and catch Jude off-guard. Jude smacked Eizen's fists with the palm of his hand and returned a quick kick. Eizen blocked it with his elbows, took a step forward and swung his arm forward. Jude managed to dodge it at the last second and quickly jumped back.

" _Demon Fist!"_

Eizen was dashing halfway towards Jude when he unleashed a wave of energy aimed at the blonde pirate. Eizen stopped and tumbled to the side as Jude's arte flew past. This small distraction bought Jude enough time to lunge forward, switching to the offensive. But this proved nothing as the two continued to block each other's attack, resulting in neither of them gaining the advantage.

At one point however, Jude's concentration slipped and Eizen broke through Jude's defense. Eizen threw two quick punches at his opponent and while Jude managed to block them, they were sloppy and threw his footing. Eizen saw this and quickly used this to his advantage. After a half of a second, he jumped and spun around while raising his right fist. Upon landing, he immediately smashed his right fist down on the ground with the target area exploding on impact.

" _Eleventh Hour!"_

Jude could only shield himself as he was thrown backwards from the impact. He managed to land on his feet but now saw that the First-Mate of this pirate crew was going to be difficult. They were probably evenly matched when it came to close-quarters combat but the blonde pirate was an earth malak, thus holds the advantage as he possesses the ability to utilize earth elemental artes.

But Jude wasn't giving up yet…

Jude took a deep breath and prepared himself for the second round. Eizen noticed Jude seems to have regained his focus. Eizen prepared himself, moving into a defensive stance. Even he knew when it was time the enemy was going all-out and not to underestimate his opponent.

Jude dashed towards Eizen and once he was within range, threw a quick punch forward. Eizen blocked it with his forearm and wanted to initiate a counter-attack but Jude was already throwing another fist at him. The blonde pirate couldn't block it so he cocked his head to the sight, feeling Jude's fist grazing his cheek. Jude continued his momentum, launching numerous calculated attacks on the blonde pirate, forcing Eizen to only focus on his defense.

After piling the pressure on the blonde pirate, Jude finally found his break. Eizen used his forearms to block Jude's attack but Jude's fist still managed to break through the blonde pirate's defense. Jude immediately followed it up by delivering a forward kick, forcing Eizen to leap backwards. The jump back allowed Jude to charge his fist before delivering a thunderous upper-cut.

" _Dragon Shot!"_

Eizen could tell if he got hit, it would end the fight with his defeat but he couldn't dodge as well. So with his last effort, he used his powers as an earth malak, summoning several medium-sized pillars of rocks to shield him. Jude's upper-cut hit the pillar of rocks and destroyed them all in one hit. Eizen used the rocks to create some distance and absorb the hit as he backed away. So before Jude could move in for another attack, Eizen called an end to their fight.

"That's enough. You've passed the test." Eizen said.

"Test?" Jude repeated.

"We originally wanted to test the capabilities of you and your friends as a whole, but that short fight with you was more than enough for me. Join us."

Jude didn't know what to say. He never expected the whole thing to have just been a part of some test by these pirates.

"All of this was just to test us?" Milla questioned.

"That's correct."

"Aren't you the impudent one." Velvet said.

The blonde pirate scoffed, "Says the daemon who torched Hellawes."

"…You knew about that?"

"Words spread fast. I hope you realize we're doing you a favor. If you'd stayed on that course, you would've smashed right up against the Gate of Vortigern."

Dyle gasped at the mention of that, "I completely forgot about that stupid fortress! If we had continued sailing on – Oh, I shudder at the thought."

"What is this Gate of Vortigern?" Milla asked. Velvet also wasn't too familiar with this name.

It was the blonde pirate with the pirate hat that answered, "It's a massive fortress with a gigantic gate. It's built to control which ships get to pass through, acting as a checkpoint. So it makes it harder for us pirates. And you're headed for Midgand, aren't you? That means the shortest route is going through the narrows up ahead – which means sailing through the fortress."

"…A fortress." Velvet repeated, troubled at the thought.

"If this is true, we're in your debt." Rokurou said gratefully.

Milla shifted her posture, "Even if it is a fortress, I assume it's still possible to do something about it. Jude managed to infiltrate a fortress with the help of a brilliant tactician before."

Eizen seem impressed, "Really? You've got guts, kid."

Jude wanted to clear up the misunderstanding but felt it was a rather long story and decided to leave it to their imagination. In reality, while it was true that he and Rowen managed to infiltrate Fort Gondala, it still ended up as a failure. They managed to recover Milla but she sustained heavy injuries, even losing the use of her legs. This was when Milla was still human of course.

Eizen then revealed his intentions, "We desire to pass through the fortress as well, but we lack the strength. I propose we form a partnership."

"And why go through the trouble of asking for our help?" Velvet asked.

"We already heard about how you managed to escape from Hellawes and disrupt the Exorcist's activities there. That's impressive, considering you're only a crew of less than ten."

Velvet considered it some more before saying, "Can we actually trust you that working together is all you pirates are after?"

"We already saved you from sailing unknowingly towards the fortress. Why else would we go through all this just to deceive you? We need your strength, but if you don't trust us, then our discussion ends here. Accept or refuse, it's your call."

Eizen started walking away, ending the discussion. Magilou was perplexed, "So, what? We're allowed to refuse?"

Eizen stopped in his path, "We've made our proposal. It's up to you whether to agree on an alliance, or work on your own. There's nothing more to say."

Eizen started walking again but just as he passed by Milla, he stopped suddenly. He felt a terrible aura being emitted very close by – malevolence! It was faint but at the same time foul and rotten. He looked around to try and pinpoint the source and found it when his eyes landed on a red-haired malak in the arms of Efreet.

"What happened to her?" Eizen demanded from Velvet's group.

Velvet saw who Eizen was referring to and answered, "You mean Seres? She's the one who broke us out of prison. But we had to fight our way out and the Exorcists somehow turned a malak into a dragon. During the battle, she got her back wounded by the dragon. Since then, she's been under a fever."

"…When did this happen?"

"Two nights ago."

Eizen stared at Seres's face and saw she was in pain, panting lightly and sweating. He was analyzing the information that he just learned. If it was true that the red-haired malakhim's injury was inflicted by a dragon, it probably meant that the dragon's malevolence had seeped directly into her. That would explain the fever she was suffering from. It wasn't a fever but from the negative aspect of malevolence directly injected into her body.

Of course Eizen didn't want to divulge to Velvet's crew about the concept of malevolence as it was a secret amongst malakhim. It was taboo to spread this information to humans.

"She's not going to make it." Eizen exposed, "If the dragon directly wounded her, then she's most likely suffering from that plague – daemonblight."

"Daemonblight?! So she'll become a daemon?" Velvet asked.

Eizen remained silent for a moment. Apparently Velvet didn't know that malakhim affected by malevolence – or daemonblight as known to humans, would result in transforming to a dragon. So he ultimately chose to ignore Velvet's question. He didn't see any reason to disclose the truth about malakhim and dragons.

"Regardless, she's inflicted by daemonblight. There's no turning back for her, you all should know that."

Milla found that odd, "Are you suggesting that daemonblight cannot be cured?"

Eizen shook his head, "That's right. Once humans fall prey to the plague, they normally become daemons in a matter of minutes. They rarely make an hour. Malakhim can take longer, but what's surprising is that you told me she received a direct injury by a dragon two nights ago. She shouldn't have lasted for more than a day. You're sure it's only been two nights?"

"That's right. Jude's a doctor, so he has been treating her." Milla pointed out, "But he wasn't able to heal her. But now that you told us that daemonblight is the cause and is incurable, then Jude's efforts have been for naught."

This time, Eizen was flabbergasted. There was never in recorded history where one could slow down the process of becoming a daemon, or in a malak's case, a dragon. Once the malevolence became too much, you would inevitably transform – and yet, Milla was suggesting that Jude had been slowing down this process for some time?

Eizen turned to Jude, "Hey, you. You're the doctor, right? Show me how you treat her. I need to see for myself."

Jude stepped forward and once he was close, Efreet gently placed Seres on the ground. Jude then hover both hands above Seres's chest and started applying healing artes. Seres groaned a little but other than a little discomfort, seemed to be relieved from the pain she was suffering. While Jude continued to heal, Eizen noticed something.

Healing artes itself was nothing special in this world. As a matter of fact, it was a basic arte to some extent. However Jude's healing arte was a little different as it emitted a different color and aura. It was almost as if a malak was assisting directly, somehow guiding the young doctor. For Eizen, it felt like Jude was directly tapping into the mana of the earth-pulses of the world.

"…What's going on? I've never seen anything like this before." Eizen muttered softly.

It was one thing that Jude seemed different, but he saw how Jude's healing artes was actually slowing the malevolence from consuming Seres. Again, this was his first time to witness something like this. But after watching for another half minute, that was the best Jude's efforts came to. While Jude was definitely slowing down the malevolence from devouring Seres, it was still just delaying the inevitable. His healing artes was not a cure.

"I don't know how you do it, but you ARE slowing down the daemonblight." Eizen said to Jude, "But I'm afraid that's the limit to your abilities. You cannot save her. No one can. Daemonblight is a curse. There's no cure to it, and anyone under it will be in agony. No one deserves that."

"What are you trying to say?" Jude croaked without stopping his treatment.

Eizen sighed, "End her misery here and now. It may sound cruel, but many would choose to die than become a daemon and lose themselves."

"...Is there really no other way?"

"…No."

Jude stopped his treatment and looked down at Seres. The red-haired malak weakly opened her eyes and looked at Jude. She was still in pain and her body was burning up, but she gave a warm gentle smile – a smile that told him she was glad he tried to save her, even when they only known each for a little while.

"…Damn it…" Jude cursed softly. For him, it was just his nature. Many of his friends had dubbed him as a ' _do-gooder'_ for a reason.

Seres weakly looked around until her eyes landed on Velvet. She mouthed some words but they were too soft. Velvet walked closer until she was beside the red-haired malak.

"Please… consume me…" Seres said weakly to the black-haired daemon.

Velvet was confused, "What? What are you saying?"

"Please… I don't have much time left. The daemonblight is slowly consuming me, and soon I won't be myself. There is so much… more I wish to tell you, but my time is running. But feeding on my form… will grant you strength, and… I will still be able to tell you… what you need to know… when the time is right. That is why, all I'm asking of you now… is that you devour me."

"Seres…"

"Please… hurry. Jude did slow down the daemonblight but… I fear I don't have much time left. Before I transform, I beg of you… devour me!"

Velvet did not say or do anything for a few seconds. Then she took out an item and revealed it to Seres, "I'll consume you – but tell me why you had _this_ in your possession!"

The item in Velvet's hand was a comb, the very same one that her brother Laphicet had given to her as a gift three years ago.

Seres saw the comb and smiled, "I… don't know. I don't think I even have a reason. I just felt that this item was special, and I wanted… to give it to you. That's all there is to it."

Velvet looked down at the comb again and then back at Seres. She wasn't sure whether to be satisfied by the answer or not, but she was at least thankful that she had something from her past with her.

Seres winced in pain and coughed, "H-Hurry! Before the daemonblight… consumes me. Do it now!"

Velvet had been consuming daemons before and it has increased her powers. Consuming Seres, a fire malak, would definitely boost her strength tremendously, so it was a win-win situation. Still there were questions she wanted to ask the red-haired malak. But ever since they escaped the prison, Seres had been wrought with fever, which was daemonblight for malak, so she never had the opportunity to ask Seres questions.

Velvet activated her demonic arm, which scared the pirates and piqued Eizen's interest. She lowered her arm until the whole palm of her demonic claws covered Seres's head and chest.

"Any last words?" Velvet asked.

Due to the pressure of her claws, the mask that Seres wore cracked open. "…I treasured those days… when you and I… and Arthur… were together."

Once the mask fell off, Velvet instantly recognized who the person was – someone she had not seen in nearly seven years. Her heart softened only for a second before she shoved her emotions away.

"Thank you." Seres said as her final parting words.

With that, Velvet clenched the palm of her demonic arm and after a second, Seres was no longer breathing. Once the red-haired malak was dead, Velvet began her consumption, absorbing everything. A few seconds later, Seres was gone from existence. Velvet had devoured her, inheriting some of her powers.

There was some silence after the whole ordeal was done. Eizen and his pirates did not say anything to at least show some respect that Velvet and her crew have just lost a companion. They too recently lost five of their comrades, so they understood how it felt.

While Ludger, Rokurou and Magilou were of course remorseful, Velvet, Jude and Milla seemed to be affected the most. Jude mainly because he really wanted to save Seres, not just because as a doctor but it was who he was at his core. Milla shared the same reasons as Jude, considering she had gone through a lot of effort caring for Seres only for it to have been fruitless. As for Velvet, she had mixed feelings. She despised Seres at one point, but after she helping her escape from prison, she was at least thankful for that. But the recent revelation as to _WHO_ Seres actually is, was the one that pained her.

After a minute or so had passed, Eizen turned towards the pirate with the pirate hat, "Benwick, we'll continue as planned. I'll infiltrate the fortress alone. Wait for my signal."

The blonde pirate, Benwick, looked at Velvet and her companion before turning his gaze back to the First-Mate, "What about them?"

"They haven't given me their answer, but we can't wait for them. If they decide to accept the alliance, they know where to find me. If not, we act on our own."

Eizen started walking again but Benwick once more called out to him, "B-But First-Mate! You can't go alone! We'll all come with you!"

"You'd only get in the way." Eizen said without looking back, "Stick to the plan and focus on your duties aboard the Van Eltia."

With that, Eizen ended his conversations and walked ahead, climbing a small cliff using the vines before entering a cave. This left Velvet and her companions with the pirate crew.

Benwick turned towards Velvet and the party, "I know you guys haven't decided on whether to work with us or not, but you don't mind if we loot your ship right? I mean, it's not like you guys can use it anyway after all that damage."

"Go ahead. The ship was stolen anyway." Velvet said, giving the go-ahead.

So while the pirates of Aifread's crew entered the wrecked ship, Velvet and her companions took this moment to gather their thoughts. The fact that they lost Seres as a companion still weighed heavily on the minds of Velvet, Jude and Milla. Magilou returned to minding her own business while Ludger, Rokurou and Dyle waited for the party to come together before they discussed on their next course of action.

Rokurou turned to the lizard daemon, "So Dyle, is the Gate of Vortigern really something that impressive?"

Dyle nodded, "Definitely. They've got a fortress AND a patrolling fleet, but that's just the icing on the cake. The real show is the gigantic gate. Even a battleship couldn't blast its way through that thing."

"So it's that huge, huh?" Ludger asked.

"I've never seen it myself, but that's what the rumors say."

"But, if the pirates think they can pass through with our help, maybe it isn't that great as they say." Ludger pointed out.

"Well, this is Aifread's pirate crew we're talking about. They're the fiercest, most villainous pirate crew in all the seas. Every sailor trembles upon hearing their name. I heard that they've turned the tables on the Royal Navy time and time again! And that's not all. Their ship, the Van Eltia, is a legend that's traveled to distant lands across the sea!"

Ludger rest his hands on his hips, "Sounds like working with them is the best course of action."

"Well, it's up to you guys, but for me, I'd be honored to be working alongside Aifread's crew."

The sound of the pirates carrying out their loot from the stolen ship filled the air as they emerged from the lower deck. There were chests of weapon, armor and clothes being carried off their ship and boarded on the Val Eltia.

So while the rest of the pirates were busy with getting the loot, Velvet and the party approached Benwick.

"Have you guys come to a decision?" Benwick asked.

"We'll work with you." Velvet answered plainly.

"That's good to hear. It'd put our minds at ease to know that the First-Mate won't be alone. But if you don't mind me asking, what made you decide to help us?"

"In the end, we both share the same goal – to sail through Vortigern. We don't really have any choice but to band together."

Benwick nodded, "That's how it is. The First-Mate's gone ahead, you guys should hurry and catch up with him. Once we're done here, we'll do our part of the plan."

Benwick was about to give an order to order his fellow crewmate to hurry up when a pair of pirates emerged from the stolen ship's lower deck with someone new.

"Hey, look what we found down here!" One of the pirates called out. Benwick, Velvet and her companions looked at the two pirates and saw them escorting a young man with light-blonde hair with a rope tied around his body.

"Unhand me this instance!" Oscar demanded but the two pirates ignored him.

Benwick noticed the uniform and whistled, "That's an Exorcist. No, even worse, he's a praetor. What was he doing on that ship?"

"Well, it wasn't like we wanted to bring him along." Rokurou answered while scratching the back of his neck, "We were all just rushing to escape and that praetor was still on board, trying to stop us. So we just knocked him out and tied him up."

Benwick looked at Oscar and turned back towards the party, "So he's a hostage then? Oh man, if you guys told us sooner, we could have revised our plan! We could have struck a deal to allow us to sail pass the fortress in exchange of the preator's life. The First-Mate wouldn't have to go through any of this."

"But that'd only be a temporary solution." Milla pointed out, "If you needed to sail through the area again, the fortress would still be in the way."

"I guess you're right. Still though, what should we do with him?"

Jude was the one who spoke, "If you don't mind, can you watch over him for us? He's our responsibility. We were planning on letting him go at the next town or city."

Benwick raised an eyebrow, "I'm not sure that'd be a smart thing to do."

Jude was adamant, "Even so, I don't want to harm him. His sister helped me back at Hellawes, so I owe her this much at least."

Jude knew of course that freeing Oscar holds potential risks but he still wanted to go through with letting him go unharmed. Oscar's sense of justice and will to protect the innocent from daemons and criminals reminded Jude of himself – because he would do the same thing if he lived in this world.

Benwick ultimately agreed with Jude's request, "Fine. It's not like the praetor's a threat to us. He's tied up and I'll assign someone to watch over him. We'll watch over him until we meet again. In return, watch over the First-Mate for us."

"We will." Jude answered.

Benwick nodded and gave orders to the pair of pirates holding Oscar, "Bring him aboard the Van Eltia and keep an eye on him! He'll prove useful as a hostage!"

"Aye, aye!"

Velvet and the party watched the pair of pirates escort the reluctant Oscar towards the pirate ship, the Van Eltia. Benwick wished the party good luck before turning around and updating the crew that they needed to begin the operation soon.

Now that they have agreed to work with the pirates, Rokurou voiced out his concern, "We should be careful. That malak pirate isn't all he seems. Who knows what's up his sleeves?"

"We both have ulterior motives." Velvet replied, "In any case, let's go after him."

"Well you guys have fun with the First-Mate!" Magilou said with a grin, "I'll stay with the pirates, where it's safe."

"You're not helping?" Ludger asked.

"Tragically, this witch is neither a sailor nor a warrior. All she can really do is look on."

Velvet released an annoyed sigh, "You haven't been helpful from the beginning. If you wish to stay with the pirates, that's fine. But we'll be bringing Number Two along. His artes will prove useful to us."

Number Two said nothing. His last order from Velvet was to keep his mouth shut after all.

"No argument here. Allow me to wish you all the best of luck!" Magilou said as her parting words before she moved to board the Van Eltia.

It was decided then. With Magilou not joining the team, the party now consisted of Velvet, Rokurou, the malak Number Two, Ludger, Jude, Milla and the lizard daemon Dyle – a total party of seven.

XXXXX

Velvet and the group entered the cave that Eizen entered a few minutes ago, which was known as the Laban tunnel. The cave was rather bright as there were natural plants scattered on the walls of the caves that gives off light. Beautiful rock formations and curtains of grass decorated the cave, which made the cave a rather stunning area.

Of course the cave was littered with monsters that inhabited the cave, so as the party ventured forward, they had to deal with the occasional monster attacks. There were also some daemons that they had to deal with, but they were nothing more than a hindrance in their path.

Several minutes have passed inside the Laban tunnel when Dyle stumbled upon some interesting looking mushrooms.

"Hey, Ludger! Come 'ere and look at this." Dyle called out.

Ludger and the party approached the lizard daemon. "What is it?" Ludger asked Dyle.

"Since you're the chef of our little group, you need to be picking ingredients. So what about these mushrooms, eh? Maybe you could whip up something with these."

Ludger got down on one-knee and inspected the mushrooms. "Hmm. Yeah, I guess they'll work as a side dish."

"Heh, I only got to eat a little of your cooking the last time, but it was great. So I'm kinda looking forward to the next time you cook something for us again."

"But… you don't get hungry, right?"

"Hey! Just because we don't get hungry doesn't mean we can't enjoy a good warm meal."

Jude couldn't help but chuckle, "Looks like even in this world, Ludger's cooking has them eating out of his hand."

Ludger picked the mushrooms and stuffed it in a small pouch, "Okay. I'll think of something to make next time."

"Lookin' forward to it." Dyle exclaimed.

After that little pit stop, everyone continued moving forward through the cave in search of Eizen, the First-Mate of Aifread's pirates. As they continued walking, it came to a point where some were a little behind and in this case, Ludger and Velvet were the ones walking ahead of the group.

"…I appreciate your efforts to keep everyone's spirits up." Velvet said suddenly.

Since everyone else was behind, Ludger realized Velvet was talking to him. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"The last time you cooked for everyone on the ship, I just wanted to say it was a nice gesture… and at the time, I wasn't on the best of moods. So, I just wanted to tell you, I appreciate it."

Ludger shook his head, "It's okay, you don't have to worry about it. It's nothing really."

"When I was a human, I enjoyed cooking so I know how it feels when someone actually enjoys eating the food you cook – or when someone refuses to eat it. Even if they mean no ill-will, it still hurts when they don't want to eat your cooking. So I wanted to apologize when I… made it seem like I didn't seem thankful of the food you made."

Ludger couldn't help but chuckle, "I think this is the first time you seem so… normal."

"…Figured you'd say something like that."

"But really, you didn't have to apologize." Ludger said with a smile, "In my world, there was a girl who hated tomatoes in her dish, even though it's my favorite. So I got used to someone not enjoying the food I cook – unless I removed the tomatoes for her."

"Sounds like she's quite the handful."

"She's looking for her father, but she doesn't know where he is. So until we find him, I've been taking care of her. She's only eight years old, but she's really doing her best to try pull her own weight and not be a bother. It's complicated what's happening in my world, but let's just say we need her and she understands that. That's why… that's why I'm also doing the best I can to protect her."

"So she's important to you then."

Ludger stared forward as he thought of Elle. He remembered again the pinky promise he made with her, that they would both enter the Land of Canaan together and how they were _'partners'_ because the two needed each other.

Ludger finally gave a nod, "…Yeah. She's very important to me."

"Then make sure you do everything to protect her. For me, after I lost my sister ten years ago during the ' _Opening',_ my little brother became the one I wanted to protect. He was always sick, so I had to get him medicine but I was happy to just take care of him. I never wanted anything to happen to him. So when I saw my brother's life being sacrificed by someone I thought I could trust… the old Velvet Crowe died then, and the daemon was born."

"Velvet…"

Velvet looked at Ludger, "If Elle is important to you like how my brother was to me, then Ludger, you need to use everything in your to protect her. You don't want to go through what I have."

"…Yeah. I know."

Ludger never knew Velvet when she was a human, but he remembered that her whole mission was to just kill one man – the one who sacrificed her brother, and the current leader of the Abbey. Artorius. The pain of losing her brother drove this woman into a path of vengeance. Ludger imagined if he lost Elle, would he become like her?

What Ludger didn't know was that while he thought he and Velvet were different, they were rather similar – their desire to do everything that was necessary to protect their most precious person. In Ludger's case, an alternate version of him ten years into the future, had brutally murdered the ones he called his friends and even his brother, just to protect his daughter. So if Ludger did lose Elle, then he too would most likely become a monster.

That ended the conversation between Ludger and Velvet. It helped the two understand each other a little better and also learn that both have or had someone important to them. And the two also enjoyed cooking – or at least Velvet did when she was human.

Meanwhile, the rest of the party behind Ludger and Velvet were watching the pair from the distance.

* * *

 **Skit: Topic of conversation  
Present: Jude, Milla, Rokurou & Dyle**

 **Rokurou: Those two have been talking with one another for quite some time.**

 **Milla: I don't believe I've seen Velvet spend this much time talking.**

 **Dyle: What do you think they're talking about?**

 **Jude: Come on guys, it's rude to try and eavesdrop.**

 **Rokurou: Like you're not curious yourself. Come on, you gotta be a little curious at least, right?**

 **Jude: *Blush* Well, I mean, sure, but we should respect their privacy.**

 **Rokurou: Oh come on. They barely know each other, it's not like they're sharing some juicy secret between them. Milla, you must want to know too, right?**

 **Milla: *Thinking* I admit, there's this itch I feel and it seems like the only way to scratch it is… is to find out!**

 **Jude: Milla!**

 **Milla: *Chuckle* I'm only joking, Jude.**

 **Rokurou: Man… what about you Dyle? Don't you wanna find out?**

 **Dyle: Sure, but… it seems like too much of a hassle for me.**

 **Rokurou: Then looks like we'll never get to find out. *Sigh***

* * *

XXXXX

It didn't take long before Velvet and company finally spotted Eizen. From the looks of it, it appears that he just defeated a monster. When Eizen felt the party's presence, he turned around.

"So, you've made your decision I take it." Eizen questioned rhetorically.

Velvet crossed her arms, "Not like we had much of a choice. If you're prepared to lend us the use of your ship and crew until we reach the capital, we'll help you. Is that fair?"

"…I'll agree to those terms." Eizen answered almost immediately.

"Huh, didn't even need to think about it." Rokurou commented.

Dyle could only smile with glee, "That's the First-Mate of Aifread's for ya!"

"Before we continue, I feel I should tell you first." Eizen said, looking at Velvet and her companions. He then took out a gold coin and flipped it. The coin landed on his palm, with the face of a reaper facing up, "I bring ill fortune to all those around me. The _'Reaper's Curse'_. I could flip this coin a thousand times and still land on tails. Trying to get through the fort cost the lives of five good sailors. If you join up with me, I can't guarantee your lives."

"Why go out of your way to warn us?" Velvet asked.

"Even daemons don't want to meet an unfair death, right?" Eizen then tossed the coin at Velvet, who easily grabbed it with one hand. "If you still want to come with me, just know the risks."

Velvet considered Eizen's words before tossing the coin back at the First-Mate, "Works for me. I land on tails, I'll flip it to heads on my own."

Eizen caught the coin and looked at which side it was facing up – it was heads. He couldn't help but smile at the result, feeling like maybe luck was on his side for once.

"Your name?" Eizen asked the group.

"Velvet. This is Number Two." Velvet said and gestured at the young malak.

Eizen glared at Number Two, feeling like he could already picture what happened with the young malak with Velvet's group. He would ask them about it later.

Rokurou pointed to himself, "I'm Rokurou. A pleasure."

"The name's Dyle. It's an honor to be working with Aifread's crew!" Dyle said enthusiastically.

"Ludger Kresnik."

"I'm Milla Maxwell."

"Jude Mathis."

With everyone having introduced themselves, Eizen officially introduced himself, "I'm Eizen."

Velvet nodded in acknowledgment, "You've got a plan of attack, I'm sure. Let's hear it."

"I do. But there's something I need to find out first." Eizen said before turning to Jude, "You said you're Jude Mathis, right? There's something I need to know from you."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Back at the Van Eltia, Benwick and the rest of the pirate crew had just finished stocking whatever loot and valuables they found from the stolen ship on the Van Eltia. Once everything was settled, the pirates all boarded the Van Eltia and prepared to set sail.

Magilou was also onboard the pirate's ship and couldn't help but find that someone important was missing. She entered the lower decks of the ship and when her eyes witnessed what was before her, she immediately ran back up and searched for Benwick, the pirate in charge when the First-Mate was absent.

She found Benwick at the helm, giving the final instructions to the pirate crew.

"Hey, Benwick! We have a problem." Magilou said quickly.

Benwick looked confused, "What is it? We're preparing to set sail, you know."

"Just come with me!"

Magilou dragged the reluctant pirate down to the lower decks. At first Benwick wasn't sure what Magilou wanted him to see – and his eyes widened when he realized that the thing Magilou wanted him to see was missing!

The two pirates that Benwick had assigned to watch on Oscar were on the ground, unconscious. Next to them was the rope that was used to tie praetor, except its owner was missing.

"When did he escape?!" Benwick demanded in panic.

Magilou whistled, "Excellent question. So now what?"

"…This is bad. This is really bad. That praetor could be anywhere, but he's most likely gone ahead to Vortigern to warn them about our plan."

"So what? Do we just call off the plan?"

"It's too late for that. The First-Mate's already gone ahead to do his part, so we need to do our part." Benwick said plainly.

Magilou found it odd how Benwick at first panicked but now seemed relatively calm. He climbed back to the upper deck and returned to the helm, ordering the pirates to set sail.

"So, uh… what exactly are we supposed to do?" Magilou asked.

"Vortigern is a fortress with a massive gate and ships patrolling the narrows. So first, we need to draw out the ships by being bait. That will make it easier for the First-Mate to infiltrate the fort and open the gates." Benwick explained.

Magilou looked around and saw the pirates committing to their duties normally. Even Benwick seemed nonchalant about Oscar having escaped.

"You guys are relatively calm, considering that the praetor has escaped and is going to warn them about our plans." Magilou said.

"That's because we're used to it. It's part of the First-Mate's curse." Benwick replied.

"What?"

"The First-Mate calls it the _'Reaper's Curse'_. To put it simply, he's always plagued with bad luck no matter what happens. So the praetor escaping is probably just another thing with the curse. We've gone through a lot of bad lucks with him – tornadoes, the Royal Navy chasing after us, plans going awry, that sort of thing. So I guess the praetor escaping is just another string of bad luck."

Magilou was not expecting that, "And you're just going to go through with the plan? Even if they know we're coming?"

"Have a little bit of faith on the First-Mate." Bencwick said with a grin, "Besides, it's now a race between the praetor alerting those guys at the fort and us reaching first. We're Aifread's pirate! We are free to go and do what we please! That is our creed!"

With that, the Van Eltia set sail towards the Vortigern Gate. Magilou didn't know whether she made the right choice sticking with these wild pirates.

XXXXXX

Meanwhile at the entrance of the Laban tunnel, Oscar Dragonia was maneuvering through the cave as quickly as he could to reach Vortigern fortress.

"I have to warn them." Oscar said to himself, breathless, "Those daemons and the escaped fugitives… I'm not going to let you go so easily!"

 **CHAPTER END**


	8. CHAPTER 8: THE REAPER'S CURSE

**A/N: Hey guys, I bring to you all the new chapter for this story. While I did sort of skimmed through the chapter looking for some grammatical errors, do point it out if you a mistake, also in terms plot or character wise. With that said, let's get on to responding to reviews!**

 **RedRat8: She at least lasted longer in this story but considering she was still attacked by the dragon and filled with malevolence, her time to go was inevitable.  
-Yup, hope to establish more of Ludger and Velvet's relationship. Doesn't mean they will be a couple, but I definitely aim to build a good friendship between the two. **

**Roxas Blaze: Glad you liked the fight but yeah, I was planning on having it as a tie from the beginning. I feel that the two are equals in terms of battle prowess.**  
 **-Yeah I think it's a nice little interaction between Ludger and Velvet. This can be emphasised more in later chapters once Velvet starts to care for Laphicet, which Ludger can see it as him and Elle.**  
 **-Well if you think the Reaper's curse was bad in the last chapter, there's more in this chapter - especially at the end.**  
 **-I most likely will be working on the first chapter for the sequel of "A New Beginning" after this chapter. So look forward to that!**

 **Tony Anderson: Thanks for your kind words**

 **NoNameAvailable Bis: Well I always believed that the daemonblight spread to some of the soldiers in the fortress but not everyone. Regardless, Eizen's curse will really show itself at the end of the chapter**  
 **-As you guessed, Oscar is able to slip through the party and move quickly thanks to being alone.**  
 **-Lol that's how Aifread's pirates are anyway, especially when they found out the cause of their bad luck is Eizen. And by now, they have gotten used to it**

 **version15: Thanks! Definitely looking forward to develop more between Ludger and Velvet. There's also Jude and Eleanor who will share the same personality that I wish to enhance.**  
 **-It was a rather short chapter, but it was still around 6000+ words. Writing long chapters is honestly tiring, lol\**

 **Merlinius Ambrosius: Don't misunderstand me, when another user said you might be wrong, I have to be cautious. Unlike you, I don't have the official guidebooks and I have said before that I am not too versed in ToZ/ToB lore. At the moment, I'm mostly relying on some online sources and what you have mentioned before.  
-As you have PM'd me about the little error, not much for me to say here. It's a pity that I probably can't use the oldest brother if there's little information about him.**  
 **-I do write down plot points. The problem arises in terms of writing. Unlike the game, where we can visualize the characters, having too many characters in my story, I feel I have to write down their names in the group to remind readers who is present at the moment. It's just how I feel personally. Besides my grammatical skills is also average, so it's difficult for me to describe fully what I want to try and explain sometimes, lol. Having too many characters might just make it worse for me in terms of writing.**

 **Well that's it for responding to reviews. I hope you guys will enjoy this new chapter and do let me know your thoughts of the new chapter or how the story is coming along. Till next time!**

 **CHAPTER 8: THE REAPER'S CURSE**

"What is it?" Jude asked, referring to Eizen saying he wanted to know something from Jude.

"It's been bugging me ever since I watched you apply your healing artes on your malak companion earlier." Eizen said, "I… I honestly don't know how to ask this, but, it's just different. How do you do it?"

Jude looked genuinely confused, "Um… I-I just, well… I just do it like how I usually do."

"Explain. In detail."

"Well, I emit mana from my mana lobe, which spirits feed off on. With the mana they feed from, the spirits then perform the artes that I want, which was healing artes. So in a way, it's actually the spirits that's performing the artes, we just supply the mana for them. That's the most basic explanation I can come up with spirit artes."

"You release mana and spirits feed from that mana to perform the artes for you?" Eizen was really confused at this point, "I've never heard of such a thing before."

Velvet stepped in, "It's no surprise you haven't. They're supposedly from another world."

Eizen turned to Velvet, "Another world?"

"They appeared out of thin air in my prison cell before Seres came to free me. If I hadn't witnessed it for myself, I wouldn't have believed them."

"They?"

"Jude, Ludger and Milla." Velvet said.

Eizen looked towards the three of them, but mainly on Jude. Jude's earlier explanation about his spirit artes was unheard of at first, but if Velvet said they were from another world, that would make some sense. It explained why Jude's healing artes looked similar but somehow slowed down malevolence. Eizen wondered if it had something to do with Jude unknowingly tapping into the earth-pulse's mana directly. If Jude was a foreigner in this world, perhaps his usual use of spirit artes resulted in him using the earth-pulse's mana instead.

"Interesting. When this is all over, I definitely need to know more. But now's not the time." Eizen said.

"So, you believe they're from another world? Just like that?" Rokurou questioned.

"Before this, I did feel they were a little different but I just couldn't tell what it was. But now that you told me who they really are, it explains it." Eizen reasoned, "Besides, the world is a huge place. There's still a lot we don't know, a lot more to discover and unveil its secrets. Them coming from another world is a possible explanation."

"…That's true."

Velvet interjected then, "You can ask them about their world once we're past the fort. But for now, let's hear your plan of attack."

Eizen nodded, "To put it bluntly, Vortigern is impregnable. It won't fall to an attack whether by sea or by land."

"So what do we do?" Dyle asked.

Velvet considered Eizen's description and said, "Wait. What about both at once?"

Eizen gave another nod, "Exactly. The Van Eltia should be on the way to Vortigern as we speak, to draw their fleet out of the narrows. While the fleet's gone, we sneak in and open the sea gate ourselves. After that, the Van Eltia will break away and rush back into the channel. We'll climb aboard and push through."

"Break away?" Ludger repeated, "You're gambling on your ship to outrun the fleet?"

"Don't worry, the Van Eltia is one of the fastest ships that's ever existed. It'll outrun the Royal Navy no problem."

Rokurou thought of Eizen's plan, "Still though, one slip and we're all as good as dead."

"Then don't slip, and we're not dead." Velvet responded.

"…Walking with the reaper, eh?"

"The plan is already in motion." Eizen said to the group, "Let's move. This tunnel leads to the fortress."

It was Eizen leading the whole group this time instead of the usual Velvet. It made perfect sense considering it was his plan, so he needed to be the leader. Besides the others were unfamiliar with the region anyway, as most of them have never been here before or even complete outsiders of this world.

As the party ventured through the Laban tunnel, the occasional monster and daemon attacks still occurred. There were even monsters that inhabited the ceiling would surprise the party by attacking from above, which Eizen then warned everyone to be cautious about them.

The party of eight had just defeated a group of monsters cleanly. It was difficult for any monsters to cause harm to the party since Ludger, Jude, Velvet and Rokurou were the fighters at the frontline while Eizen and Milla both provided offensive artes while still being capable to engage at close combat while the lizard daemon Dyle defended Number Two from nearing him. The party of eight worked rather well together.

Eizen checked everyone's condition, and once he was sure they were all okay, pressed forward, "Let's continue on. We're still only halfway through."

As they followed Eizen, Rokurou glanced at Number Two and said, "The kid's awfully quiet. You think maybe there's something wrong with him?"

"Number Two's always that way." Velvet answered.

"Stop that. Calling him by a number is cruel."

"So what's _Rokurou_ mean?"

"Well… _'Son Number Six'_ , technically…"

"Same thing then."

"Not even remotely!" Rokurou retorted.

Jude saw that Number Two really was quiet and couldn't help but try and talk with him. "Hey, you okay?" Jude asked.

Number Two looked up at Jude and just gave a nod.

"You don't have to be afraid to talk, okay? If there's anything you need to ask or say, just say it." Jude said gently.

Number Two blinked and opened his mouth, almost as if he wanted to say something but then stopped himself. It was almost like he was at a conflict, as if something was preventing him from speaking. In the end, he didn't nod or shake his head. He just stared blankly at Jude.

Jude sighed, "Alright, let's go."

Jude rushed to catch up with the group and Number Two was following him when his eyes caught sight of some peculiar little plants to the side. His eyes remained glued to the plants for quite some time, completely lost in his own world. It was only when he realized he no longer heard the voices of Velvet or Rokurou, or even the footsteps of the party, that he was alone.

Number Two looked around for any sign of the group, his heart beating rapidly under his chest. He was beginning to panic. In his time of fright, he let his guard down and did not notice a monster had snuck up behind him until it was too late. Since the monster was just inches away, Number Two wouldn't make it to even cast the simplest of arte to protect himself.

Number Two stepped back and his first instinct was to scream for help. But at the last moment, he remembered Velvet's orders back on the ship to keep his mouth shut. So he covered his mouth, intent on obeying that order up to the very end.

Jude was the first to notice that Number Two wasn't behind him. He looked around and saw the monster just about to strike the young malak.

"Hey! Watch out!" Jude shouted.

Everyone turned around and saw Number Two was in danger of losing his life to the monster. Fortunately for the party, Eizen, who had numerous strings of bad luck thanks to his _curse_ acted quickly, thrusting his left arm forward and fired an arte at the monster. The monster was killed in one blow.

Jude sighed with a great relief, "Thank goodness he's safe…"

Velvet was relieved but was angered at how Number Two dealt with the situation, "Why didn't you say something?! If Jude didn't check on you or Eizen hadn't reacted in time, you'd be dead!"

Number Two looked downwards as he replied, "…Because you ordered me to keep my mouth shut."

Velvet remembered the incident. It was when she tried talking to Number Two on the ship, but the young malak kept asking her if they were her orders. She got frustrated with him and inadvertently ordered him to keep his mouth shut. Now the fact that Number Two looks so much like her brother Laphicet, and how her ordering him not to say anything almost resulted in his death, Velvet just couldn't hold her emotions back.

"That's not what I meant!" Velvet cried out, grabbing Number Two by the shoulders, shaking him, "Why?! Why would you do that? You…! You…!"

Rokurou clutched Velvet's shoulder, "Whoa, take it easy Velvet. Calm down."

Velvet released her grasp on Number Two and did relax but was still visibly upset.

Eizen analyzed Number Two's reasoning for not calling for help before saying, "Let me guess, kid. You were bound by an Exorcist?"

Once again, Number Two answered with a solid nod.

"I figured as much. The boy's will have been sealed away. Malakhim have individual personalities, just like humans. But Exorcists have developed methods to seal those personalities away, just so that they can use malakhim as uncomplaining tools."

Jude remembered how Lady Teresa at Hellawes seemed undisturbed over this fact. He witnessed first-hand how a distinguished praetor of the Abbey treated the malakhim tethered to her.

"…I didn't think it's actually true – that all Exorcists treat malakhim as tools." Jude muttered in disbelief.

Eizen heard it however, turning to Jude, "So you've seen it firsthand? How an Exorcist treats their malakhim, I mean."

"…Yeah. It was a praetor of the Abbey, and she was really nice. But when it came to the malakhim, she just treated them like nothing. Like everyone has been saying - like tools."

"Will he always be like this?" Velvet asked Eizen.

"Can't say." Eizen answered, "I've never seen one escape the Exorcists before."

Velvet stared at Number Two for a few seconds but he carried the same blankness expression on his face. She was then reminded that the young malak may forever live to follow orders, or he would grow to be an individual of his own choice. Still, there was nothing to be done and she turned around and started walking away.

Jude of course couldn't just let it end like that and tried talking to the boy again, "Listen… you don't have to keep waiting for orders, okay? If you need to, just speak up."

"That's right, kid. Like if you're ever in trouble, you need to call out for help, okay?"

"If I'm… ever in trouble?" Number Two repeated, looking confused.

Jude nodded, "That's right. Don't worry, we won't be angry with you, so just speak up."

Jude hoped his words would get through the young malakhim, but that was all he could do to help. He could help Number Two by giving him a slight push in the right direction, encouraging him but he could not hold his hand forever. He just hoped that as time passed, Number Two would be able to grow.

As the party continued walking through the tunnel, Ludger walked next to Velvet and said, "I guess you aren't as cold-hearted as you think you are."

"What're you talking about?" Velvet growled.

"I mean, you looked really worried earlier when the monster almost hurt Number Two. And sure, you scolded him about not crying out for help, but it looks to me like an older sister scolding her brother for his own good."

Velvet's expressions grew dark. It only reminded her when she failed to protect her brother three years ago.

"Mind your own damn business!" Velvet hissed, increasing her pace as she walked away from Ludger, "What do you know about any of that anyway?!"

Ludger was left behind, but Velvet's words did remain in his head. He whispered to himself, "…How do I know? Maybe because I'm in the same shoes as Number Two."

The way Velvet scolded Number Two earlier, for Ludger, it was like seeing a glimpse of the past when Julius gave him a big scolding when he was a child that got into an accident. He couldn't help but smile seeing how Velvet scolding Number Two reminded him of Julius and himself.

XXXXXXX

Unknown to Velvet and the party, when they asked Eizen what their plan was a few moments ago, they were being stalked by the young praetor, Oscar Dragonia. Oscar was hurrying through the Laban tunnel when he spotted the party and quickly hid behind some rocks. And as the party discussed their plan, it was all heard by the praetor.

"So they're planning to lure the fleet away and strike then?" Oscar said to himself, "This isn't good. I have to hurry and warn them of their plan. Even if the fleet's gone, I should be able to send a message to call them back. That will ruin their escape plans!"

With that decided he took a peek and saw Velvet and company still talking with each other. So as quietly yet quickly as he could, he snuck past the group and then rushed for Vortigern. Since he was alone, he was able to maneuver through the tunnel quicker, dodging unnecessary fights with the monsters or demons in the area.

Oscar would reach Vortigern Fortress first.

XXXXXX

Back with the party, they continued prowling through the cave for another hour or so. During that time, Eizen managed to give some background information regarding malakhim, telling the party about how they have lived in this world for a long time, just unseen by humans except those with high resonance. He told the party how the _'Advent'_ changed that and how ordinary humans could all perceive malakhim, and how the Abbey now used malakhim as tools, robbing them of their free will.

Not too long after that, the party also encountered a strange being, which Eizen explained was a Turtlez. Eizen further elaborated that the Turtlez are travelling merchants in the world, and would sometimes set up shop in remote places, which benefited people of the underworld. By the end of the whole thing, Velvet managed to force the Turtlez to sell his goods at bargain prices, much to the Turtlez misfortune.

Finally the party arrived at the other end of the tunnel, where the exit was just before them. Eizen stopped moving and took out the coin he always had with him. He flipped the coin and when it landed on the palm of his hand, he checked the results – the face of the reaper was face-up. Tails.

Eizen released a sigh. Velvet caught him doing the coin toss and said, "Looks like Aifread's first-mate has a strange superstition."

"It's just a habit." Eizen replied, "Only comes up tails anyway."

"So this is part of your _Reaper's_ curse too?" Ludger asked.

"That's right. No matter how many times I try, it always ends up with the tail-side facing upwards."

"Isn't there a way to break out of it?"

"I don't know. I originally wanted to find a way to escape my curse, which is how I joined the crew. But Aifread told me that the _Reaper_ 's curse is a part of me and I should embrace it rather than try to break it. I've come to accept it ever since."

Ludger rubbed the back of his head, "Don't you get annoyed with all the bad luck?"

Eizen shrugged, "I got used to it."

Jude pondered about what Eizen said and had to ask, "Eizen, this Aifread you mentioned… was he your captain?"

"He is, actually. How'd you know?"

Jude shook his head, "It's just that in our world, there was a legendary pirate named Aifread. He scattered his treasures around our world in arks, saying they served as beacons for other explorers. Legend has it that he set off to find the end of the world and never returned. I'm just starting to wonder if somehow, your Aifread is the same Aifread. Maybe our world is connected somehow."

"…It's true that the captain is an adventurer himself." Eizen admitted, "He dreams of sailing across the unknown seas, to set foot on new found land. I don't know whether if it's just a coincidence, or somehow they refer to the same person, but we can find the answer to that next time. For now, we have a fort to break into."

"Yeah. You're right."

Eizen led the group again, heading towards the exit. But the blonde first-mate was disturbed by what he just learned. It wasn't just him however. Ludger and Milla were now starting to wonder if whether this world was a different world, or perhaps this fractured dimension really was an identical world somehow. If the Aifread of this world was the same Aifread from Rieze Maxia, could this person have unknowingly traveled through dimensions? Or maybe he even travelled through time? There was no proof that this world could actually be a distant past or the distant future.

But in the end, Eizen, Ludger and Milla decided to stop thinking about it. Like Eizen said earlier, they needed to focus on the task ahead of them first.

Once Velvet and the company exited the cave, they have now entered the region known as the Burnack Plateau. The area was a mountainous region, with high and low cliffs plastered all over the place. They spotted the main entrance of the fortress down below and they had to take descend carefully, jumping from one cliff to another or sometimes using thick vines to climb downwards.

Once the party of eight neared the entrance, everyone immediately noticed something was missing.

"There's no guard." Rokurou pointed out, "Do we just go in?"

Even the lizard daemon Dyle knew something was off, "This can't be right. No way would they leave the main entrance unguarded. Is it a trap?"

"Hold on… this isn't what I expected." Eizen said, gesturing for the party to stay in position.

Eizen's eyes scanned the entire area, trying to find something that could explain the situation to him. At first he found nothing but then he noticed something. He saw some dry leaves being carried by the wind, flowing through the air towards the main entrance – and then the leaves banged into something invisible.

"There's a barrier over the entrance." Eizen informed the party, "They changed the security. It wasn't here last time."

Velvet turned towards Eizen, "You weren't kidding about your curse, were you?"

"You'll be lucky if that's the worst of it."

Milla however wasn't buying it yet, "Is this bad luck really part of your curse?"

"Trust me, its part of the curse. Even then, it's still rather mild."

"The barrier doesn't look too much of a problem." Milla said, "I can summon the Four and have them destroy it."

Eizen disagreed with Milla's suggestion, "No. A direct assault will just ruin our plan. We need to infiltrate the fortress without alerting them of our presence."

"So what's the plan?" Rokurou asked the blonde first-mate.

"Down the cliff, there should be an entrance used during the fortress's construction. We'll check that."

"You did your research." Velvet remarked.

Eizen couldn't help but smirk, "I had to, didn't I?"

"Eizen, you lead the way." Jude suggested.

Eizen nodded and gestured for the party to follow him. The party of eight moved towards the west, where Eizen led them to a rather steep, narrow pathway that led downwards. Everyone had to watch their step as one error would result in them tumbling to their untimely death.

After a few minutes, the party jumped down several short cliffs to descend to the lower ground until they finally arrived at the second entrance of the fortress. And unlike the main entrance, the party spotted two guards standing watch over here.

"Is that the way in?" Velvet asked.

Eizen nodded, "Yeah. This should be it."

"This one's actually guarded." Rokurou observed aloud.

"Which means there's no barrier." Velvet said and unsheathed her gauntlet blade, "Let's move, everyone!"

Velvet charged out of their hiding place and Rokurou, Ludger, Jude along with Dyle followed. Eizen, Milla and Number Two stayed behind for a bit.

The two guards noticed the large entourage and drew out their weapons. Due to the stress of having to defend this particular entrance against so many, the two guards were oozing out malevolence – which Number Two was the first to notice something was wrong.

Remembering Jude and Rokurou's advice at the tunnel earlier, Number Two actually cried out to warn them, "Stop…! Those guards are dangerous!"

Eizen was the second to notice and added, "Careful! They're not what they seem!"

The two guards released an anguish scream before their bodies were enveloped in a purple aura. A second later, the purple aura dissolved but the two guards were no longer human. They have transformed into daemons, specifically lizard daemons.

"Hey Dyle, maybe you can try and talk some sense into 'em?" Rokurou joked.

"Hey, I'm different to them!" Dyle retorted, "They completely lost their humanity. They're just daemons now!"

"Quit the chatter!" Velvet barked, "Here they come!"

The two newly transformed lizard daemons went on the offensive, charging towards the group of five. Ludger and Jude partnered up to take on one of the lizard daemon while Velvet, Rokurou and Dyle teamed up to challenge the other.

It was probably thanks to Ludger and Jude having teamed up together on numerous occasions that allowed them to make quick work of the lizard daemon. The two basically took turns, with Ludger first attacking the daemon and delivering multiple blows with his sledgehammer. When the daemon tried a counter-attack, Jude struck its blind spot, smashing his fist right on the back of the daemon. Finally when they went for the killing blow, Ludger positioned himself in front of the daemon while Jude behind.

" _Twin Lance!"_

Despite not being linked through Allium orbs, the pair have worked together long enough to do so without the use of it. Ludger and Jude dashed towards the daemon at the same time and simultaneously attacked as they dashed past it. Then after that, both again immediately followed it up by delivering another blow from the opposite side. The lizard daemon was killed after one linked arte together.

The remaining lizard daemon was handled by Velvet, Rokurou and Dyle. Velvet parried the lizard daemon's attack and quickly countered by delivering a swift kick across the daemon's neck, stunning it. Rokurou took advantage of the stunned daemon by charging forward and plunging both dual blades deep into the lizard daemon's chest, pulling it out and gifting a large slash across the daemon's midsection.

"All yours, Dyle." Rokurou said.

With the lizard daemon greatly injured from its wounds, it could not defend itself as Dyle jumped into the air and swung his sword across the daemon's neck, cleanly decapitating it.

"I'm not sure what to feel killing a daemon the same kind as me." Dyle stated.

Rokurou checked the lizard daemons were dead, then said, "Still though, didn't expect these guards to carry the daemonblight. Hey Eizen, is this your curse again?"

"Most likely."

Milla still wasn't buying it however, "I thought daemonblight is a threat to anyone in this world. Isn't it possible that the guards carried it as well rather than Eizen's curse?"

"I can assure you that these strings of bad luck are part of the _Reaper's_ curse. I've lived with it, so I know." Eizen said.

"Curse or not, things might have turned ugly if we had blindly charged in just now." Velvet said and turned to Eizen, "Thank you for stopping me."

Jude added, "Yeah. We didn't notice the guards turning into daemons until you warned us."

"Don't thank me." Eizen said and gestured at Number Two, "He's the one who first noticed the danger."

Velvet, Jude and the others that fought the two lizard daemons shifted their gaze at Number Two. Feeling everyone's gaze on him, Number Two looked downwards, realizing he had disobeyed Velvet's orders previously to keep his mouth closed.

Velvet finally addressed Number Two, "In that case, I'll be counting on you to keep watch. Now that we have the _Reaper's_ curse with us, who knows what else we'll find."

Velvet walked ahead towards the construction entrance.

"Huh?" Number Two uttered, confused. He was expecting to be scolded.

"She's saying it's all right to talk." Rokurou explained and grinned, "Now let's go."

After that, Rokurou followed the others and entered the second entrance of the fortress. Number Two was left behind as he was dumbstruck by the unexpected kindness Velvet had shown to him. He remembered Velvet said she would be counting on him.

With a determined look, Number Two said to himself, "Keeping watch… that's my duty now!"

Number Two entered Vortigern fortress.

XXX

Once inside the fortress, the party of eight wasn't expecting the scene before them. They thought they would have to be careful with their infiltration, but as it turns out, they probably didn't have to worry too much. Instead of soldiers guarding the hallway they were in, only daemons were present. Some were even lizard daemons still draped in the armor of a regular soldier.

"Looks like there are daemons inside as well." Rokurou said.

Ludger rubbed the back of his neck, "Don't tell me daemonblight spreading amongst the soldiers here is part of the _Reaper's_ curse too?"

"This is what it means to walk with the reaper." Eizen answered, "You've only yourselves to blame."

Velvet analyzed the situation for a second, "This actually works in our favor. The enemy won't be capable of an organized response."

"And we're a small group." Rokurou added, "Our mobility will be an advantage in the chaos."

Jude looked at everyone, "I… don't know. I mean, I don't think eight of us can be considered small. We'll garner some attention if there's so many of us."

Eizen nodded in agreement, "I've been meaning to split our group into two. But not now. I need to get a better grasp of the layout of the fortress before I decide how we should do this."

"So Eizen, how do we open the sea gate?" Velvet asked.

"The controls ought to be located in the upper part of the gate. But this is just nothing but a guess. We need to find out exactly where it is before we divide our group into two. After that, we'll activate the controls and send a signal for the Van Eltia."

"Okay. So the top of the gate then. Let's go."

Now that they were inside the fortress and with a clear sense of direction, Velvet took the reins of leading the party once more. In order to not waste time, they moved quickly through the hallway while avoiding the transformed daemons so that they would not be involved in any unnecessary battles.

Once the party exited the hallway, they were once again outside but within the compound of the fortress. From here they could see the gigantic gates of Vortigern and on the opposite side, a dock for the fleet of the fortress. It was then that they noticed there was a battleship sitting on the docks.

"Hey, not all the ships left." Rokurou said.

"So they stationed one ship within the gates just in case they might need it." Milla guessed.

Eizen clicked his tongue in annoyance, "It's a battleship. Not good. We'll have to revise our plan a bit."

While the party moved forward, Eizen also gave a brief history of great wall of Vortigern. He revealed to the party that while the gate might have been impossible to build in just a short number of years, this became achievable due to the exploitation of the malakhim by the Abbey. It was also a way for the Empire and the Abbey to convey the message to the people of their power and influence.

Jude found it disgusting how such a massive fortress was accomplished by treating the malakhim as nothing more than mere tools.

Later on, the party reached the end of the pathway and had to climb a ladder. The ladder actually brought them into another hallway. Unfortunately for the party, this time there was a soldier stationed in the area and when he saw the party coming out of the door from the ladder, he quickly tried to attack them.

That was the soldier's mistake. Eizen was quick to react and before the soldier could even be a threat, Aifread's first-mate threw an earth-shattering punch square on the soldier's face, knocking him off his feet and landing on his back, unmoving. He was still breathing, so he wasn't dead yet.

Eizen approached one of the large doors to the right. He tried opening it, but it was locked.

"This door should lead to the gate, but it looks like they're locked up tight." Eizen informed the party. "Must have been a counter-measure due to the daemonblight spreading amongst the soldiers."

Velvet approached the door and transformed her left arm into its demonic form. Eizen stepped aside and watched as Velvet raised her demonic arm and smashed it against the locked doors. To her surprise, the door barely budged and the surface of the door showed no damage.

"Ludger, how about you?" Velvet asked.

Ludger nodded and activated his level one Chromatus form. He swung his lance in a circle before thrusting it forward. Just like Velvet, his lance bounced back, which surprised the young Kresnik. It was the first time something was impregnable against the Chromatus's lance.

Velvet clicked her tongue, "Well, brute force is out."

"Intruders! How dare you set foot in our domain!" A voice accused from behind the party.

The party turned around and saw it was the soldier that Eizen had beaten earlier. The blonde pirate thought he knocked the lone soldier out cold but it seems he underestimate this particular soldier.

"Where's the key?" Velvet demanded.

The soldier scoffed at Velvet's question, "I'm a proud knight of Midgand! I'm not about to yield to the likes of petty daemons!"

"There's nothing I hate more than someone else trying to control the direction of my life." Eizen said, approaching the soldier, "My wheel is mine to hold. If I'm not the one steering the ship, then I'm not truly alive."

Eizen continued his slow approach towards the soldier. Much to Eizen's surprise, the soldier wasn't stepping back, staying in position. While his eyes definitely had fear in them, he apparently held enough conviction to stand his ground.

Number Two listened to Eizen's words and murmured softly, "…The one steering…"

The soldier garnered his courage and stood against Eizen, "T-That's right! And my entire life is devoted to the defense of this fortress! I will not yield!"

Eizen couldn't help but grin, "Then you better be ready to accept all that happens to you in the line of duty!"

In the blink of an eye, just like what Eizen did when he fought against Velvet and Jude when they met, he used a burst of speed to catch the Midgand soldier by surprise. A quick jab on the soldier's neck staggered him and before he could retaliate, Eizen spun him around, grabbed his right arm and twisted it behind him before shoving him to the wall. Aifread's first-mate now had the soldier in his grasp.

"Now let's see just how deep your devotion truly goes." Eizen threatened.

Velvet and the party heard the sound of bone being broken around the hallway followed by the soldier's scream of agony. Eizen repeated the torture by breaking the soldier's fingers one by one until the soldier finally relented, revealing to Eizen and the party where the key to the door was – in a control room beyond their current location.

"One more question," Eizen said to the frightened Midgand soldier, "Which way to the battleship down at the docks?"

"S-Straight ahead! Up the stairs!"

"Got it. Pleasure doing business with you."

Eizen released the soldier's arm but immediately followed it up by delivering a swift blow on the head, knocking the soldier out. He got what he needed.

"So Eizen, what's the plan?" Velvet asked.

Eizen cleared his throat and revealed his plan, "Here's where we'll split into two groups. One group will search for the key to open the door to the gates while the other group takes out the battleship down at the docks."

"Makes sense." Milla said, "If the battleship isn't dealt with, it could be a problem when we make for our escape."

"So it's agreed then." Velvet said and turned to the first-mate, "So Eizen, who goes for the key and who goes for the battleship?"

Eizen thought about that. He considered the strengths and weaknesses amongst the eight of them and slowly came up with two teams. He decided that each team needed to have one person capable of using artes – mainly Number Two and himself.

Eizen told the party his plan, "I wish to deal with the battleship personally, so I'll lead that group. Jude, Milla and Rokurou, you're coming with me. As for Velvet, Ludger, Dyle and the kid, you guys find the key at the control room."

"Leave it to us!" Dyle said with enthusiasm.

"After you're done, we'll meet back here." Eizen instructed, "We'll activate the gate switch together."

So with that, the party split into two groups. Eizen would lead the first group with Jude, Milla and Rokurou with the assigned task of destroying the battleship. Velvet was the leader of the second group, bringing along Ludger, Dyle and Number Two with the objective of finding the key that would open the doors to the gate of Vortigern.

Before departing, Eizen called out to the young Kresnik, "Hey Ludger, you don't mind me borrowing your blades a little bit longer, do ya?"

"If I ask for them back, you won't have any weapons to use." Ludger replied with a laugh.

"Well, I have _Stormhowl_ with me, but I won't be using it, so… yeah, you have a point."

Ending the conversation, Eizen and his group moved through the stairway that would lead to the docks. As for Velvet's group, they opened the doors that led to the control room.

XXX

The journey to the control room was rather annoying as there were quite a handful of Midgand soldiers patrolling the area. So before they could actually alert the whole fortress, Velvet and her group quickly defeated them. Apparently the soldiers were not aware that some of their comrades were inflicted with daemonblight in other parts of the fortress.

Ludger noticed that throughout their small skirmishes against the soldiers of the fortress, only once was an Exorcist present. Considering their importance in the empire, it was weird how little there were stationed here.

"What's going on?" Ludger wondered aloud, "So far, there are only ordinary soldiers. I mean, the fortress should be a vital outpost for the Empire, but it isn't very well defended."

"It's nothing too surprising." Velvet said, "They don't need an army of Exorcists just to keep a bunch of organized pirates under control. Ordinary soldiers are more than enough."

Dyle had to agree, "So just a few Exorcists as officers is all they need."

Velvet nodded, "Besides, the Exorcists are much fewer in number compared to regular soldiers. And their main duties are to battle daemons. They don't have the luxury to babysit soldiers."

"This makes it easier for us then." Ludger said, ending the conversation.

After some time searching for the control room, Velvet and company soon arrived at a small building within the fortress. Trying their luck, she tried opening the door only to find that it was locked.

"It won't open. It's locked from the inside." Velvet told her companions.

"Don't think we can break it open too." Ludger said, "This should be the control room. They must have it locked for a reason."

"That's my guess. We need to find a way in."

"Well let's not just stand here doing nothin', let's search for a way in. Let's check around the walls." Dyle suggested.

They looked for alternative ways to get in and Dyle suggested trying and climbing the wall and checking the other side of the building. While Dyle could easily scale the wall, probably the attributes of a lizard daemon, Velvet, Ludger and Number Two had to use some thick vines that had grown on the walls of the building.

Fortunately for Velvet's group, there was an open window on the other side of the control room's building, allowing them access. Even better was that there were no sign of guards or Exorcists inside the control room.

Velvet entered first and surveyed her surroundings, "This seems to be the place. Let's hurry and look for the key."

"Got it! I'll search the other room." Dyle said and entered the second room.

Number Two obediently began searching for the key without question, browsing through some of the bookshelves in the corner. Velvet looked around some of the tables and Ludger searched the dressers and drawers on the other side.

While Number Two's goal was to look for the key, the bookshelves contained books that really interested him. He wanted to read them but he knew this wasn't the place to do so. He looked up and his eyes widened when he saw an item that interested him – a compass! It was a little bit out of reach so he tried jumping for it.

Meanwhile Velvet's search through the tables bore fruit when she found the key.

"Aha! Found it."

"Hey! Careful!" Ludger's voice cried out.

Velvet turned around and saw Ludger with Number Two. The compass on top of the bookshelf apparently almost fell on Number Two but Ludger saw it on time and grabbed the compass before it could crash on the young malak's head.

"S-Sorry…" Number Two apologized, looking downwards.

Ludger had the compass in his hands and showed it to Number Two, "Here. You wanted it, right?"

Number Two looked at Ludger, then at the compass and accepted it, "T-Thank you."

"No problem. Just be a little more careful next time."

Velvet approached the pair and said to Number Two, "Maybe there's still some hope for you after all. You desiring that compass is just proof you're alive."

Number Two looked up at Velvet, "…Proof that I'm alive?"

"If your will really was sealed like Eizen said, then you wouldn't be looking for things you want. Your desire to have the compass is proof that you're alive. Every living thing has something they want."

"…Even you?"

Velvet's desire was to get her revenge on Artorius, but she didn't want to just tell Number Two that. So she diverted Number Two's question, "…Even Ludger has his own wants."

"Wait, what?" Ludger stammered. Number Two looked towards him with expectation in his eyes, so he composed himself and nodded, "Y-Yeah. Even I have my own wants."

"Wanting something… is proof that I'm alive." Number Two said softly.

Ludger gave a nod, "That's right. So you didn't have to apologize. You should have just asked for our help if you wanted it. We're not like the Exorcists. We won't scold you for stupid things."

Number Two looked at Velvet and Ludger before giving a nod. For the first time in his life, he had a smile on his face. Slowly and surely, he was breaking out of his shell.

Velvet stared at the compass in Number Two's grasp and sighed, "But boys sure are fascinated by the weirdest things. What's so interesting about a compass?"

Number Two looked at the compass, "I... I saw it once in a book, and I got a little curious about it. And I felt… that maybe if I had one of these, maybe I could go on adventures. It feels…"

"Exciting?" Ludger added to finish Number Two's sentence.

"…Yes."

Velvet's expressions actually grew gentle, "When you feel that way, you should talk about it. About what you like and dislike. If you're happy or scared. After all, you're alive."

"I'm… alive."

"But that's just my opinion, though. Not an order. Only you can choose how you live your life. Got that?"

"…Understood."

Ludger cleared his throat, "So we've got the key. Shall we hurry and get back to our rendezvous point?"

Velvet nodded, "Let's go. Tell Dyle we're leaving."

XXXXXX

Meanwhile with Eizen's group, they also had to deal with the soldiers in the area. Fortunately for them, they did not encounter any Exorcist officers amongst their ranks, making it easier for the group to plow through. It didn't take them long before they were almost at the docks.

Eizen's group entered through a door and from here, once they pass through the narrow corridor before them, they would be at the docks. They hurried onwards but just before they reached the doors to the docks, they finally encountered their first Exorcist.

"Looks like this guy's been busy." Rokurou said. He was referring to the fact that there were dead bodies of several lizard daemons around the Exorcist, meaning he had dealt with the soldiers that transformed into daemons.

"The docks are up ahead." Eizen said, "Like it or not, we're coming through."

The Exorcist drew out his sword, "More daemons, huh? It doesn't matter, I'll cut down all of you. Face the fury of the Rangetsu sword style!"

The moment the Exorcist mentioned the Rangetsu sword style, Rokurou was at full attention. He drew out his pair of dual blades.

"Step aside, Eizen. This guy's mine." Rokurou said.

"No, you stay back. I'll take care of this one."

"I thought we're in a bit of a hurry?" Rokurou pointed out as he stepped ahead of the party, "We don't have time to waste with one Exorcist. You fols go on ahead and handle the ship. I'll handle this guy."

"Rokurou, are you sure about this?" Jude asked.

"Don't worry about me. I won't lose to a guy like him."

Eizen saw Rokurou was serious and in the end chose to trust him. It wasn't that he doubted Rokurou needed help against the Exorcist, but he felt they would save more time ganging up on one Exorcist. However it looks like something about this Exorcist in particular interested the spiky-haired daemon, so he chose to respect that.

"Let's go everyone." Eizen said, leading the way. Jude and Milla followed.

The Exorcist tried to stop them but Rokurou stood in his way, not allowing the Exorcist to pass through. Eizen, Jude and Milla have entered the docks then.

Now that they were alone, Rokurou asked the Exorcist, "Where did you learn the Rangetsu style?"

"…I studied directly under the legate, Shigure of the Abbey. You won't stand a chance against me."

Rokurou scoffed, "Lies. He'd never take on a student. Let me guess. He taught you a few things one time when he was super-bored, and then crushed you with them."

What angered the Exorcist was that Rokurou's words were on-point. With a cry of frustration, the Exorcist lunged forward to engage Rokurou. The spiky-haired daemon smirked. Any swordsman knew that the moment you let your emotions control you, defeat was inevitable. The Exorcist was blinded with rage due to Rokurou humiliating him.

Rokurou exchanged blows with the Exorcist, his dual blades meeting against the Exorcist's sword. He had to admit, the Exorcist was much more skilled than a regular Exorcist, but it wasn't enough to mimic a person who was a master of the Rangetsu style. After the spiky-haired daemon was done toying with him, he decided to finish their fight.

" _Jade Wave!"_

Rokurou found an opening and stabbed both dual blades into the Exorcist's chest before dashing to the right in the blink of an eye. Due to the speed, the cuts didn't appear until a second later and with the power, the Exorcist's chest revealed several large open gashes. Blood poured out of the wound and when the Exorcist landed, he was dead.

Rokurou returned the dual blades to his back with a disappointed sigh, "That was about the saddest practice I've ever had. But at least I learned where HE is."

At that moment, the doors leading to the docks opened and Eizen, Jude and Milla appeared.

"You guys done with the ship?" Rokurou asked.

Eizen nodded, "We're set. Found some explosives on the lower deck of the ship. We already lit it, so it should blow anytime now."

"It also serves as the signal for the Van Eltia." Jude added.

"That's great." Rokurou said, "Also it looks like the Abbey's my goal now, too. Now I can do what I have to do AND repay my debt at the same time. Talk about killing two birds with one stone."

Just as Rokurou said that, the barrel of explosives they had set up on the battleship triggered, exploding outside at the docks. With that, they should be free to escape with no pursuers and it marked the signal for the Van Eltia to come and get them.

"The Van Eltia's should know that's our signal. Let's move and meet up with the others." Eizen said.

Jude, Milla and Rokurou agreed and were about to move out and follow Eizen when to their surprise, the narrow corridor out of here were swarmed with soldiers of the Midgand Empire. They completely blocked out their way out.

"How did we not sense them coming?" Eizen said, cursing their recklessness.

The Midgand soldiers surrounded the group of four, pointing their weapons at them. But they did not attack. The sound of footsteps grabbed the group's attention and saw a lone figure making his way towards them from the narrow corridor. Eizen didn't know who it was, but as the figure approached, Jude, Milla and Rokurou recognized the figure, much to their shock.

"We meet again." Oscar Dragonia said with a confident tone.

"Oscar!" Jude cried out, "But how did you escape?"

"Do you know him?" Eizen asked.

"He's a praetor of the Abbey." Jude revealed, "We escaped from him back at the prison but we met again at Hellawes. He's the brother of another praetor, so when we escaped Hellawes, he tried to stop us and boarded the ship. We tied him up, and last we saw him, your crew was supposed to watch over him."

"So he escaped then." Eizen said with a sigh, "Looks like my curse is really acting up today."

Oscar addressed to the group, "I already know of your plan. You wish to open the gates and escape as your ship sails through. Unfortunately for you, this is as far as you go. You won't be making it out Vortigern alive."

"You're out of luck." Milla countered, "We already destroyed the only battleship that was docked here. If you think we can't handle you and these regular soldiers, you're wrong. You won't stop us here."

Oscar chuckled, "You misunderstand me. You destroying the battleship don't matter, and I'm aware I cannot stop you, not when I'm alone with just regular human soldiers. They're only here to buy me time. I just wanted to tell you all personally that you won't escape me – not this time."

With that as his final message, Oscar Dragonia turned around and started walking away. That was apparently the signal the human soldiers needed as they all swarmed in on the group. Jude, Rokurou and Eizen readied themselves, but that was unnecessary in the end.

Milla Maxwell summoned the Great Four to her side and they immediately acted upon the situation. Efreet instantly summoned a ring of fire around the group, Sylph creating a gale of wind which shoved some of the soldiers back, Undine producing a healing circle around the group and Gnome created pillars of earth from beneath the ground, knocking any unfortunate soldier that was standing on it.

This was Eizen's first time seeing all four of Milla's Great spirits in action. He had seen Efreet before since it was the Great Spirit of fire that was carrying Seres before. But now he just witnessed all four of them unleashing their elemental artes. He now knew Milla was a powerful asset to the team.

Thanks to Milla's help, the Midgand soldiers were mostly dealt with and only a handful were still standing. Jude, Eizen and Rokurou moved in to finish the job, delivering quick finishing strikes on them. A short moment later, the large squadron of human soldiers all lay defeated.

"That's all of them. We should hurry back to the rendezvous point." Eizen said.

Jude cast a worried look however, "But isn't our plan already compromised? The preator, Oscar, he said he already knows our plan."

Eizen considered it but shook his head, "Even if he really knows our plan, he can't do anything about it. We already destroyed the one and only battleship here. There's nothing he can do."

"Eizen is right, Jude." Milla said, "Oscar might be bluffing to try and throw us off. We cannot fall for his tricks."

Eizen gestured the others to follow, "Come on, let's go. We already signaled the Van Eltia. We can't waste time."

The docks wasn't too far so it didn't take Eizen's group too long before they arrived at the indestructible doors that led to the gates. There were also no more regular soldiers in the way that could slow them down too.

Fortunately for them, just as they arrived, Velvet's group had also apparently just reached.

"You guys got the key?" Eizen asked. Before anyone answered, he noticed Number Two carrying a compass, "You found a compass? Nice find, kid. We needed that too."

Number Two couldn't help but feel proud at that. It was the first time someone praised him for doing a good job. It was even better because finding a compass wasn't even their objective.

"Here's the key." Velvet said, handing it to Eizen.

Without delay, Eizen entered the key inside the keyhole and twisted it. It clicked open.

"All right, it's open!" Rokurou exclaimed.

The instant Rokurou said that, the sound of something exploding in the distance grabbed everyone's attention. No one amongst the party knew what that was except Eizen and Dyle, who didn't look too surprised.

"What was that?" Velvet questioned.

Eizen grunted and ran through the unlocked door, "That's the Van Eltia telling us they're approaching! Let's hurry!"

"We still need to pop the gate open for her." Dyle reminded.

Velvet followed behind Eizen, "That's what we're going to do now. Quickly!"

The regrouped party of eight hurried through the hallway, thankful that there were no Midgand soldiers in their path. However something odd was happening. Throughout their run, the sound of canons being fired was heard every few seconds. Eizen found this extremely weird as Benwick and the crew should only know to fire the canons once as their signal. Firing more than once was foolish really. But he also knew the crew wouldn't be doing something unnecessary unless the situation called for it.

"I have a bad feeling about this…" Eizen whispered.

* * *

 **Skit: Eizen's bad luck  
Present: Velvet, Eizen, Rokurou, Number Two, Jude, Ludger & Milla**

 **Jude: It looks like Eizen's curse has struck again.**

 **Velvet: What do you mean?**

 **Rokurou: First the barrier, then soldiers transforming into daemons and finally Oscar escaping from our clutches… yup, the** _ **Reaper**_ **'s curse is too real for comfort.**

 **Ludger: Wait, Oscar escaped?! How do you know?**

 **Number Two: He attacked us just now after we blew up the battleship. He said he knows about our plan and is going to try and stop us.**

 **Ludger: *Sighs* Oh man… I can't believe it.**

 **Rokurou: Although it's weird how he knew about our plan, came all the way to the fort but didn't have the soldiers on high alert.**

 **Jude: He must be planning something.**

 **Eizen: I've already warned you folks to be prepared for the worst. These strings of bad luck are just part of my curse.**

 **Milla: Surely it can't get any worse than this?**

 **Eizen: *Laughs* You have no idea just how bad the curse can really be. So let me warn you again, be prepared for the worst.**

 **Milla: …**

* * *

XXXXX

Once the party exited the fortress, they were finally just behind the gate of Vortigern. From here, they would need to climb two or three more ladders that would bring them into the first control room that had the switch for the gates.

The party of eight entered the first control room and just as Eizen predicted, there was a large lever in the center of the room. No doubt it was the switch to open the gate.

"This must be to open the gate." Jude said.

Eizen nodded, "One side, yes. The gate has two giant doors, side-by-side, with matching levers to open each."

"So we'll need to activate the other lever to open the gate." Ludger concluded.

"Makes sense." Rokurou added.

Velvet approached the lever and pulled it to the opposite side. They could hear something moving within the walls, most likely large gears operating in preparation to open the gate. They would need to activate the other lever to complete the action.

"All right, let's find the other device." Velvet said.

Now that they have activated the first switch, they moved for the second control room, which was on the opposite side of the wall. They climbed a ladder within the control room, which took them to the top of the gate.

Once on top of the gate, the party could see everything from here. To the north was the vast open sea and to the south was the narrows, the stream of water that would lead them to the capital of Midgand. On the opposite side of the wall was a ladder that leads to the second control room.

"Man, this is a sight for sore eyes!" Dyle said, taking a deep breath of fresh air while he took in the scenery.

It was indeed a magnificent place to be, even Eizen would have appreciated this. However now was not the time. They had a job to do.

Eizen rallied the party, "We don't have time to waste. Let's hurry and -"

"Hey, Eizen… you might want to come and take a look at this." Ludger interrupted with a shaky voice.

Eizen saw Ludger and Dyle were close to the edge of the wall, looking at something in the north side of the wall, which should be nothing but the endless sea. He approached the pair and when his eyes witnessed what Ludger and Dyle saw, he froze.

By then, Velvet, Milla and the others also followed to see what everyone was looking at. The first thing Velvet noticed that in the distance was what looked to be the Van Eltia slowly making its way to the gate. Nothing surprising about that. It looks like they would arrive at the gates in five minutes, so they still had time.

But then Velvet saw it.

Not too far behind the Van Eltia, a massive fleet of the royal navy was chasing the pirate ship. That explained why they could still hear the sounds of canon being fired because the royal navy fleet was firing at the Van Eltia.

"That's why Oscar didn't care we destroyed the battleship." Jude said in realization, "He knew about our plan and must have managed to send a message to the fleet that the Van Eltia was just bait. The fleet must have given up their chase on the Van Eltia, so now, they're just behind her."

Eizen couldn't believe that Oscar managed to somehow send a message to the fleet. Most likely he used a messenger bird for that. Eizen counted at least fifteen to twenty of the royal navy ships chasing the Van Eltia.

Despite the current situation they were in, Eizen couldn't help but say to Milla, "Didn't I tell you? To be prepared for the worst?"

Milla finally had to concede to Eizen's curse, "…I guess I was wrong. Your _Reaper's_ curse really is something."

"We really underestimated Oscar…" Velvet remarked, "If we don't deal with him now, he'll be a thorn in our path in the future."

Velvet and the party quickly hurried towards the second control room while the Van Eltia hurried to the gates of Vortigern while avoiding the canon fires from the ships of the royal navy.

Oscar Dragonia was not going to let Velvet and her companions escape Vortigern so easily.

 **CHAPTER END**


	9. CHAPTER 9: RETREAT FROM VORTIGERN

**A/N: Hey guys! I bring to you all the new update for the story. Just a little spoiler for this story, I was a little disappointed in ToB how the opening shows the Van Eltia firing canons, so I thought ToB would actually have some form of naval warfare. So this chapter will portray some of it at least (although I found it hard to write that particular part).**  
 **Also if there's anyone amongst you willing to become my editor, I'd appreciate it.**  
 **Anyway on to responding to reviews!**

 **version15: Nothing too dramatic with how they're gonna make it out, but I'm glad you're enjoying the interactions between the ToB cast and ToX.**  
 **-Nothing too concrete at the moment, still tinkering on what could potentially link the ToX and ToB world. Jude spirit artes is just one small inclusion**

 **Tony Anderson: Thanks for your words of encouragement. I hope to continue to improve this story**

 **Someguy: The darkturtlez fight is more of just a reference to ToX2. I'm just trying to focus on the main story only.**

 **ElementalSoldier9819: Indeed having Milla order Undine to conjure a tidal wave is one way to get out of their situation. It's closely related to what you suggested, but not quite.**

 **ZonZus: Oh nice to see you here in this story too! Your words really mean a lot to me. Honestly I'm only in the Xillia fanfic community and now Berseria with this crossover, but I'm sure there are some prolific fanfic authors in other Tales community.**  
 **-As for your request, as you have mentioned, I am quite busy and also at the moment I'm also currently job-hunting. I have set up a page acting as a tip jar, so if that actually gets something, I might be able to accept your challenge to write another new story from the ideas you have suggested.**  
 **-At the moment, I'll just focus on this story and "The Path Forward" but maybe one day, I'll be able to do as you suggested :)**

 **Gravenimage: Here you go, the new chapter :D**

 **Grayjack72: Well you're definitely not the first reader saying for a ship between Ludger x Velvet XD**

 **Roxas Blaze: Indeed. The Reaper's curse is not something to mess with. And yes, I remembered about Aifread and he basically appears (I believe) in all Tales game so I thought I should have the ToX cast mention that there exists an Aifread from their world.**  
 **-Similarities between Ludger and Velvet? Well I guess they do to some extent, especially when it comes to protecting their loved ones. Both Ludger (in the bad ending) and Velvet have reacted negatively to losing their most precious person.**  
 **-Now that you mentioned it, I can see Oscar as that stereotypical cop :D**  
 **-As for the mistakes, thanks for pointing it out. I really need to get an editor. The first one is definitely an error, the second no. The skit has Number Two because at that point in the story, if you check, the party has already regrouped at that point.**  
 **-As usual, I hope you will enjoy this story.**

 **MrFoxHoundSir: Thanks for pointing it out. I really need to get an editor to help me check before I upload a chapter. I'll update the previous chapters after I've corrected the typos.**

 **Kasuyorai: Happy to hear you're liking the story. And I'm also quite interested to reach the point in the story where Velvet becomes known as the Lord of Calamity, so she will be working with the Lord of Spirits. That is pretty terrifying if you think about it.  
-Yup, I honestly am quite happy with how I'm managing the character interactions. And as you have pointed out, it's not really easy to balance out the story. By right, Milla should be a bigger asset to the ToB asset, but I've minimised her use of the Great Four, just so that she doesn't take the spotlight for the ToB cast. **

**Well that's it for responding to reviews. I hope you guys will enjoy this new chapter and do let me know your thoughts of the new chapter or how the story is coming along. Till next time!**

 **CHAPTER 9: RETREAT FROM VORTIGERN**

On the top of the walls of Vortigern, Velvet, Eizen and everyone else in the party could see in the distance the Van Eltia being pursued by the royal navy. Thanks to the sheer speed of the Van Eltia, it was far enough that none of the canons fired at her was of any immediate threat. But this meant that Velvet and the party's time were ticking.

"This isn't good. I didn't think your curse of bad luck was this bad." Milla stated plainly,

"This is very bad!" Dyle exclaimed in panic, "This wasn't part of the plan at all. What do we do?"

Eizen remained calm as he explained, "I told you to prepare for the worse, didn't I? Anyway, we don't change anything. The crew on the Van Eltia is sticking to the plan, so we do the same. Now, let's go. We still need to activate the other switch."

Velvet appreciated how Eizen dealt with the situation. It was probably because he was experienced living with his curse and simply adapted to every situation. This meant that Eizen was very resourceful and would prove to be a valuable ally to have.

The party of eight moved quickly to the left side of the wall where they climbed down the ladder leading to the second control room where the lever was. Just like the first control room, the lever was around the center. Velvet approached the lever and pulled it, accomplishing their part of the mission.

Everyone could hear the sound of gears moving within the walls of the fortress followed by something large creaking open. That should be the gigantic gates of Vortigern. The passage to the capital has been opened.

"And it's open!" Velvet declared.

Eizen nodded, "Right. Let's get back up on the walls. We need to get ready to board the Van Eltia."

The party climbed back up the ladder and was back on the walls. The Van Eltia was approaching and would arrive directly below them in a few minutes. Eizen faced the north of the wall and was watching the Van Eltia while thinking of a solution.

Rokurou stepped on the edge of the wall facing the south and inspected the docks far below. The docks had been occupied by daemons.

"The docks are swarming with daemons." Rokurou reported to the group, "There's no way we can board the Van Eltia from there, it will be overrun."

Eizen shook his head, "Even if the docks' was free from daemons, we can't have the Van Eltia stop to pick us up – not with the royal navy on her tail."

"Wait, what? Then what about us? How are we going to get onboard?"

Velvet somehow saw through Eizen's plan, "...We'll jump down and board the ship as it sails past."

"Without stopping?!"

Eizen nodded to Velvet's words, "Aye, the Van Eltia will sail through. It was part of my plan from the beginning. Welcome to the Aifread way."

"…This was your plan all along?" Jude repeated in shock, "Why didn't you tell us?"

"If I did, I didn't think you guys would have gone along with it."

Rokurou chuckled, "That's a fair point."

Jude couldn't believe it. Eizen's recklessness reminded him a bit of Alvin, although the blonde pirate was maybe worse, considering the scale of it. There was no point trying to argue anyway. There really was no choice considering the situation.

"Come on everyone, get ready." Eizen called out.

Velvet, Ludger and everyone else moved into position, standing close to the edge of the northern side of the wall. The Van Eltia was getting closer and closer, around two minutes away and was still being fired upon by the royal navy behind. The party only had one chance. They cannot afford to screw this up.

But the party's troubles did not stop there.

"I'm surprised you're all still going to try and escape." A voice said behind the party.

The party of eight turned around to find praetor Oscar Dragonia behind them along with a group of human soldiers he had gathered. It seems that there were still some soldiers in the fortress that weren't affected by daemonblight. All of the human soldiers had their weapons drawn and had surrounded the party.

Velvet knew at this point, Oscar was just here to buy time. The Van Eltia was still two minutes away before they could jump off the walls and board the ship. But they only have one shot. Oscar was most likely aiming to keep the party preoccupied in a fight so that their chance to escape would slip. So for Velvet, there was only one solution – defeat Oscar in less than two minutes, which was going to be difficult.

Velvet revealed her gauntlet blade, "You've been a nuisance to us ever since the prison island. It's time we settle this once and for all."

"It appears we share the same feelings." Oscar replied, drawing out his sword.

Eizen glared at Oscar with his arms folded, clearly not intimidated, "You said it yourself earlier, you don't stand a chance against all of us. What makes you think you can take us on now?"

"That hasn't changed, but your goal is to escape this fortress. I only need to prevent that."

"You're a man that steers his own path. I can respect that, at least."

Oscar of course knew it would be difficult to stall all eight of them for even a minute, but his pride as a praetor of the Abbey refused to let these fugitives escape without trying. For his final preparation before battle, he summoned his malakhim to his side. He originally had two tethered to him, but he lost one at the prison island when trying to stop Velvet's entourage from escaping.

When Jude saw Oscar's malak summoned to his side, Jude was reminded about how the Abbey abuses the malakhim. Considering how Velvet, Rokurou and even Eizen mistook Milla's spirits as her malakhim, it just angered him to think how someone like Oscar was okay with the Abbey's exploitation.

Oscar's gaze landed on Jude as stepped in front of the group. He looked at Oscar, "I don't understand... How can the Abbey just treat malakhim as tools? It's not right. And you! In Hellawes, your sister always praised your sense of justice, so why…? Why don't you condone the Abbey for what they do?!"

"…It's a necessary evil." Oscar answered without a moment's hesitation.

"You really believe that?"

"Lord Artorius once said, ' _The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the individual'_. We of the Abbey believe in Lord Artorius's ideals."

Velvet couldn't help but scoff from Oscar's words, "Artorius's rules and reasons. I see the whole Abbey's got it ingrained into their heads."

"You have insulted the Abbey and Lord Artorius for the last time, daemon!" Oscar snapped and waved his arm forward, "Get them all!"

The regular soldiers obeyed and charged forward. Before Eizen engaged, he gave one last reminder to the party, "Remember! We only have one chance to escape! Deal with them quickly!"

The first thing Milla did was summon Sylph, the Great Spirit of wind to her side. Upon appearing physically, Sylph unleashed a strong gale towards the soldiers surrounding the party, shoving the human soldiers backwards and off their feet. The human soldiers quickly scrambled back up but Rokurou and Dyle struck quickly, slashing the nearest soldier with their blades, killing them.

Ludger, Jude and Milla worked together, with Ludger covering the front where he covered a wide area with his sledgehammer. Jude and Milla worked together to cover Ludger's sides and back respectively, with Jude striking any enemy soldiers that managed to slip past Ludger's area of attack while Milla handled any that tried to attack their blind spot.

Eizen taught the human soldiers a lesson not to mess with him unless they were prepared to face the consequences. Any human soldier that tried to attack him was met with a straight fist on the face, knocking each one unconscious. As for Number Two, he was supporting the entire party in general, creating barriers around each one as protection.

Velvet however had her eyes on Oscar. None of the soldiers tried to attack her and Oscar also had his sights glued on her.

"You've been on our tail since the beginning. This will end it." Velvet said coldly.

Oscar was not intimidated, "It should have ended back at the prison island. I underestimated you then. I won't make that mistake here."

"They're nothing but pitiful excuses. It doesn't matter anyway. I'll deal with you personally!"

Velvet dashed forward and once she was in front of Oscar, she jumped up and swung her blade downwards. Oscar raised his sword and blocked Velvet's attack but the sheer force almost caused him to lose his grip on his sword. Still in the air, Velvet used the momentum to throw a kick, which connected on Oscar's chin, knocking him upwards. With her kick connecting, Velvet spun around before landing on her feet while the young praetor fell on his back, his vision blurred from the kick.

With Oscar trying to get back his bearings, Velvet moved in for the kill. She thrust her wrist blade forward but it was then she was reminded Oscar was not alone. Oscar's malak intercepted Velvet's attack, smacking his staff on Velvet's forearm, changing her trajectory and missing Oscar's chest. Velvet growled in frustration and threw a thunderous kick on the malakhim's ribs, knocking the malak away. But by then, Oscar had recovered and he quickly got back up.

This time it was Oscar who tried moving on the offensive, stepping forward and swung his sword. Velvet parried it with her gauntlet blade, stepped in and elbowed Oscar's midsection, stunning the praetor. Velvet followed it up with a quick thrust of her blade, giving a small cut across Oscar's shoulder and then finishing it with another kick across the side of Oscar's head, sending the praetor back to the ground. This time, he stayed down, groaning in pain and feeling his head spinning.

"It's over." Velvet said, pointing her blade at Oscar.

Oscar's malak tried to save his master but Velvet jumped and delivered a spinning kick on the malak's head, sending the malak spinning around before landing on his back and out cold.

Velvet returned her attention to Oscar, who was still on the ground and unable to recover. Velvet's kick on his head have most likely hit a sweet spot as he was still dizzy and unable to focus. He was completely vulnerable. She could have delivered the killing blow and be done with it.

But her time ran out.

Eizen pummeled his fist on an enemy soldier and then cast a glance at the sea below. He spooted the Van Eltia and called out, "Everyone! The Van Eltia's about to reach us. Get ready!"

Velvet looked around and saw Rokurou, Dyle, Jude and everyone have dealt with the human soldiers and grouped up with Eizen on the edge of the wall, preparing to make the jump. Velvet turned back to Oscar and while she could end his life now, she had to remember that they only have one opportunity to make the jump. She also took note that Oscar's objective was to prevent their escape. If he was just pretending to be vulnerable, he could cost her more time.

Velvet growled in annoyance but turned away, grouping up with Eizen.

"It's coming at full speed, so just follow my lead and it'll be fine." Eizen said.

Rokurou saw the Van Eltia and had to ask, "Will this really work?"

Eizen smirked, "Do you want the _Reaper's_ reassurances?"

"Eizen's the one comfortable with his curse. Just follow his lead." Milla said.

The party of eight stood on the edge of the nortern side of the wall, watching the Van Eltia getting closer and closer. The royal navy was still giving chase, firing its canons at the pirate ship. From what Eizen could see, there was no visible damage on the Van Eltia, which was a relief. A damaged ship would seriously hinder their activities.

After a short moment, the Van Eltia was finally just a distance away from reaching the gates. This was the party's cue.

"Everyone, now! Jump!" Eizen ordered.

Eizen jumped first and the others followed his lead. Jude, Rokurou and Milla followed immediately with Dyle the next to jump. Velvet, Ludger and Number Two were about to jump next but just before they could, something else stopped them.

In the few short seconds when the party waited for the Van Eltia, Oscar had somewhat recovered. When he saw Eizen jump off the edge followed by Jude, Milla, Rokurou and Dyle, he saw it that he had to at least stop the other three from escaping. Using every ounce of energy he could in his legs, he dashed forward and pulled out his sword and his eyes landed on his target – Number Two.

However Oscar was still a little disoriented so when he swung his sword on the exposed back of Number Two, he completely missed wounding the young malak, but he managed to slash something else that was strapped on the back of Number Two's waist – his back pouch.

"Huh?"

Number Two felt something swiping away his back pouch and turned around to find Oscar glaring at him with a dazed look and a sword in his hand. Then Number Two saw his back pouch in the air, and due to the swinging force, had its cover open. All of the contents inside the back pouch came flying out. Apple gels, lemon gel and a potion or two. But the compass he had inside also escaped from the pouch and was in the air.

"The compass…" Number Two said slowly.

Seeing the compass flying away, Number Two remembered Eizen praising him for finding a compass since the pirate crew needed one. He then recalled about Velvet and Ludger telling him that his desire to own a compass was a proof that he was _'alive'_. The compass was his responsibility and his desire to have it made him feel alive. He can't let the compass go.

So without a moment's hesitation, he ran for the compass.

Velvet felt Number Two move and looked around and saw him running for the compass. "Wait, what are you doing?!"

Number Two only had his eyes glued to the compass so when he jumped and grabbed it, he didn't realize that the compass had flown so far off that down below was the sea. He was going to plunge to his death!

Velvet sprung into action, abandoning the jump for the Van Eltia. Oscar was a little too slow to stop her. As she continued her run to reach Number Two, she started to remember how powerless she was when her brother, Laphicet, fell into the dark abyss. The fact that Number Two looked like her brother just made her imagine the malak as her brother.

"LAPHICET!"

This all happened in just a few short seconds that Ludger didn't notice what was happening until Velvet cried out her late brother's name. He turned around and saw Number Two about to fall off on the southern side of the wall while Velvet was trying to reach out to him. He also noticed Oscar was behind Velvet, chasing after her. He looked back down and saw Eizen, Jude and the others about to reach the ship. With a cry of frustration, he abandoned the jump and followed Velvet.

By the time Velvet reached the edge on the southern side of the wall, Number Two was beyond reach. So without a moment's hesitation, she threw herself off the edge of the wall and this allowed her to reach out to Number Two, grabbing his arm and saving him from his fall. Velvet used her other arm to grab on the edge of the wall, hanging by it.

"Don't scare me like that." Velvet said to Number Two, sighing in relief.

"I… I'm sorry." Number Two apologized.

However after saving Number Two from his fall, Velvet completely forgotten she was not out of the woods yet. A shadow loomed over her and she looked up. Oscar. He was standing on the edge of the wall and had his sword just inches from her fingers that held on the wall.

"This is it for you, daemon." Oscar said.

Velvet looked down and didn't see any sign of the Van Eltia. There was really no escape. If she let go now, she would plunge down into the waters below and from their height, the impact of their fall could rupture their inner organs, bones or even both due to the pressure on the surface of the water. However, even if she didn't let go, Oscar would cut off her fingers with his sword and she would fall either way.

There was no escape for Velvet or Number Two. She chose the first option. Just before Oscar could slice her hand or fingers off, she released her grip on the wall and started falling down.

"Velvet!" Ludger cried.

Ludger knew the Van Eltia was still not in position so Velvet and Number Two would fall into the open waters and most likely die. The scene of her falling to her death mirrored the same way fractured Milla fell into the dark abyss. With fractured Milla, Ludger tried his best but in the end, failed to save her. He didn't want a repeat of that. He needed to try with Velvet too!

"VELVET!"

Ludger quickly took out his pocket watch and activated his level one Chromatus form. Once he transformed, he hurried and dashed towards where Oscar was standing. The young praetor turned and saw Ludger coming at him and knew his goal was to try and save Velvet.

"I won't let you!" Oscar barked.

Ludger had no time to engage Oscar since every precious little second was the difference between saving Velvet and Number Two. He had to avoid Oscar's attack. Once he reached the edge of the southern side of the wall, Oscar swung his sword in an arc. Ludger did his best to dodge but Oscar saw through it and managed to deliver a clean slash across Ludger's left shoulder. Ludger winced in pain but ignored his injuries, and dived downwards.

Velvet and Number Two were beyond reach for Ludger to hang on the ledge so he modified his approach. With all his might, he plunged his lance into the wall, using it leverage while his other hand reached out for Velvet. And he made it.

"L-Ludger?!" Velvet called out in disbelief. She was still holding Number Two, so he was safe as well.

"…Looks like I made it." Ludger said with relief.

Since Velvet and Number Two had fallen a little bit lower, Oscar couldn't reach the trio from atop the wall they were safe. Ludger just had to hold onto his lance a little bit longer until the Van Eltia was below them. But it was easier said than done.

"Ugh…" Ludger grunted in pain, almost losing his grip on his lance.

Velvet looked up and saw a large gash around Ludger's left shoulder, which was the arm that was holding the lance. Oscar managed to wound him, which he had never been able to do so before. She concluded it was because Ludger prioritized saving her and Number Two, putting himself at risk.

"You're hurt." Velvet pointed out, seeing the blood drip from his shoulders.

Ludger still managed to grin, "This… this is nothing. I think it's worth it, being able to save you two for it."

Velvet couldn't argue with that. As for Ludger, he was just glad he managed to make it on time. Even now, using the lance as leverage was the same thing he did back in his world when he tried to save fractured Milla. But at least this time, he was relieved that he managed to save two people he considered as friends by now. It somehow helped him feel like he had grown, and that fractured Milla's sacrifice helped him push to save Velvet and Number Two.

Number Two looked down and when he saw the pirate ship, quickly alerted Velvet and Ludger, "Um… the ship is below us."

Ludger and Velvet looked down and sure enough, the Van Eltia was sailing pass at full speed. Ludger quickly released his grip on the lance and the three of them started falling, accelerating in speed. Jude and the others were already on deck and were wondering where Ludger, Velvet and Number Two were when they spotted the trio above, falling towards them.

"Hurry your horses and get down here!" Magilou barked from the upper deck, "We need to get out of here pronto!"

Ludger, Velvet and Number Two landed on the sails of the ship, which acted as a cushion for their fall before sliding downwards from the sail and finally landing on the center deck of the ship. With this, the party of eight that infiltrated Vortigern fortress had successfully made it back in one piece.

XXXX

Oscar stood on the edge of the wall on the southern side, overlooking the Van Eltia sailing through at full speed. He witnessed Ludger saving Velvet and Number Two, which drove down the nail that once again, the very same criminals and daemons that escaped the prison fortress slipped through his grasp. It was worse in this case because he knew of their plane beforehand but still failed.

Oscar shook his head. It was not over yet. Just because Velvet and her companions made it back to their pirate ship doesn't mean they have escaped. The royal navy was still on their tail.

By then, a human soldier that was still alive approached the young praetor. "Sir, what do we do now?"

"Send a Sylphjay to the ships pursuing the pirates." Oscar ordered, "They are NOT to let the pirates escape. Under no circumstance should they be allowed to escape!"

"Y-Yes sir!"

The soldier quickly hurried back into the fortress to where they kept at least a few Sylphjay, the special birds that could carry messages across the world. This one would be used to relay Oscar's orders.

XXXXXXXX

The instant Ludger, Velvet and Number Two landed on the center deck, the others quickly surrounded them. Jude in particular got worried when he followed Eizen for the jump earlier but then realized the remaining three didn't follow. It was then Jude noticed a gash on Ludger's left shoulder, which wasn't there earlier.

"Ludger, you're hurt. What happened?" Jude asked.

Ludger shook his head, "Don't worry about it. It's nothing big."

Ludger stayed down on one-knee as Jude kneeled down and started applying healing artes. The wound slowly recovered.

"But what happened up there?" Milla asked Velvet, "You three stayed behind for a bit. You almost missed your chance to escape."

"It's my fault. Ludger's injury was… my fault." Number Two apologized before Velvet could answer.

Milla turned to Number Two, looking confused. Velvet saw the guilt Number Two had on his face and faced Milla.

"Oscar stopped us before we could make the jump. He attacked Number Two and struck his back pouch, so the compass fell out. To keep it short, I had to save Number Two and then Ludger had to save us. But because Ludger prioritized saving us, Oscar managed to wound him." Velvet explained and then looked at Number Two, "Because he wanted to keep his compass, he feels like it's his fault for Ludger's injury."

Milla nodded in understanding. She turned to Ludger and saw he also accepted that it was never Number Two's fault. But before they could address the issue, Eizen stepped forward.

"Sorry to interrupt, but we're not out of the woods yet." Eizen addressed to the party, "The royal navy is still on our tail. We need to get them off us before we can rest easy."

"I thought you said the Van Eltia can easily outrun them!" Jude exclaimed. This was back when Eizen told the party about his plan at the Laban tunnels.

"It can, but we can't do that when they're firing at us. Benwick's been forced to dodge them, slowing us down."

"Do you have a plan?" Milla questioned.

Eizen nodded, "Aye, I do actually. No doubt the royal navy knows they're up against the Aifread pirates. We have some history with them. In the past, they just gave chase before giving up but after taking out Vortigern, I doubt they'd let us go scot-free."

"So what do we do?" Rokurou asked.

"We use our history to our advantage. If we can destroy a few of their ships, it just might deter the rest from pursuing us."

"Wait, that's the plan?!" Magilou cried out, "There's like twenty or thirty of those ships behind us! There's no way we can go against all of them!"

The moment Magilou finished saying that, the Van Eltia swerved to the right, avoiding several cannonballs fired at them.

"We won't be attacking them all at once." Eizen answered, "We slow down and let them catch up to us. Once we have one or two ships on us, we take care of them and resume back to full speed. We have to time it well. It's all about speed."

After a short silence, Velvet agreed to the plan, "You're the first-mate. You know the ship and your crew better than we do."

"That I do." Eizen said with a smirk. Since the plan was agreed, Eizen ran to the upper deck and told Benwick of the plan.

After the plan was told, Benwick had some doubts, "But first-mate, you know the Van Eltia is unique. We've always avoided a battle at sea to minimize damage. Should we really…"

"I'm aware of that." Eizen interrupted, "But right now, we don't have a choice. If we don't shake the royal navy off our tail now, who knows how long they'll keep following us."

So in the end, Benwick also agreed to Eizen's tactics, "…Aye!"

"Everyone, to your stations!"

Eizen took charge here as he barked out orders. The party watched as the crew of Aifread's pirates started running around the ship, some entering the lower decks to man the canons while others attended to the ropes and sails to manually control the speed. For Eizen's plan to be a success, everyone had to be synchronized. This was a testament to the teamwork of Aifread's pirate crew.

The Van Eltia started to slow down, allowing the ships of the royal navy to get closer. They were still firing at the pirate ship though, so Benwick's skills on maneuvering the ship were put to the test. Slowly but surely, two ships of the royal navy soon found itself on the sides of the Van Eltia. The other ships of the royal navy tried to surround the pirate ship, so the Van Eltia needed to act quickly.

"Fire!" Eizen ordered.

The moment Eizen gave the order, the Van Eltia fired its canons from each side of the ship, blasting through both ships of the royal navy. Of course it wasn't enough to sink them so while the pirate crew manning the canons reloaded their canons, the two royal navy ships returned fire, firing their own canons at the Van Eltia. The canons pierced through the body of the Van Eltia, suffering some minor damages.

Aifread's pirate crew was quick and loaded the canons for the second round first. Once Eizen gave the order, they immediately fired and this time the cannonballs managed to land on some barrel of explosives located in the lower deck of both the navy ships. The two navy ships exploded in flames, marking their defeat.

"First-mate, two more incoming!" Benwick cried out.

"Full speed forward until our men is ready with the canons!" Eizen ordered.

Benwick obeyed, relaying Eizen's orders to the rest of the crew. Since this was utilizing a constant change of speed, the pirates in charge of the sails were the most active. Once the canons were ready, Eizen ordered the ship to rotate to starboard, aiming the canons at the two oncoming navy ships. When the two ships saw what the Van Eltia was doing, their captains tried to rotate the ship to port side to return fire, but were too late. The Van Eltia fired loose several cannonballs, each of them blasting through the enemy ships. While they weren't destroyed, it managed to slow their progress.

With the Van Eltia's superior speed, Eizen kept up this tactic of sailing forward at full speed while the men in charge of the canons loaded the canons. Once they were ready, the Van Eltia would stop, turn to starboard and fire again at any oncoming ships. They manage to sink or decommission at least seven ships of the royal navy through this method.

But things weren't going as planned.

The Van Eltia was slowly running out of ammunition. Eizen's strategy relied on taking down several ships and hope that the rest would scatter but it seems that the navy was trying to wear the Van Eltia down. It was a battle of attrition.

Benwick turned to Eizen, "First-mate, what do we do? We're running low on ammunition."

Eizen clicked his tongue, "Damn it. I should have seen this coming."

Velvet climbed to the upper deck and approached the first-mate, "Eizen, what's going on?"

"The royal navy is trying to wear us out. I thought they'd give up like planned, but it looks like my curse is having a field day today. It's a battle of attrition."

"They've never been this persistent before." Benwick added.

Velvet thought about it and said, "It's a guess but I have a feeling that Oscar has something to do with this. He's probably given strict orders to capture or destroy us no matter what."

Eizen nodded, "Makes sense. It's probably why they aren't giving up, and its working. We're running low on ammunition."

"If your plan isn't working, can't we try outrunning them again?"

Eizen shook his head, "Not with that many ships on our tail. They will just keep firing at us, forcing us to dodge their canon fire, which doesn't allow us to create some distance between us. If we had several water malak with us, then we might have a chance."

"How does that help?"

"We could have them force the sea current against the royal navy, slowing them down. But it's pointless talking about that. It'd take at least ten water malakhim to do that – the only malakhim we have is me, and I'm an earth-type."

Milla Maxwell had heard the conversation and joined them on the upper deck, "You should have so from the beginning. Undine should be able to do what you want."

Without even waiting for Eizen or Velvet to utter a word, Milla summoned Undine, the Great Spirit of water, to her side. Once she was summoned, Undine began channeling her arte. Because this would cover a large area of the sea, the Great Spirit required a minute before she finished channeling. After that, a large channel circle grew on the surface of the water between the Van Eltia and the royal navy.

Milla turned to Eizen, "Undine's already cast her arte. Let's make our escape!"

Eizen saw the channel circle and just like what Milla described, the sea current was going the opposite way. The royal navy that tried to sail through it was either moving in reverse or moving forward but extremely slow.

This was what they needed. Eizen immediately gave the order to the crew, "Release the sails! Full speed!"

The pirates of Aifread released a cheer and quickly untied all the knots, sailing forward at full speed. After overcoming all the odds to open the gates of Vortigern, and having to go through the strings of bad luck brought on by the _Reaper's_ curse, the Aifread's pirate along with Velvet and her companions have successfully created a passage to Loegress, the capital of the Midgand Empire.

XXXXX

Oscar Dragonia stood atop on the walls of Vortigern, staring at the open sea where he last saw the royal navy give chase to the pirate ship. They were gone from sight and he was currently awaiting news or any sort of update from them.

Vortigern fortress was currently a mess. Apparently some foolish regular human soldiers have fallen prey to daemonblight, so the fortress was lost. The Abbey would need to send Exorcists in order to clear the daemon filth before the fortress could be used again. This was a huge blow to the Midgand Empire.

Oscar's eyes spotted a Sylphjay coming at him and landed on his shoulder. On its legs was a very small roll of paper, containing a message. It must have been a message from the royal navy. He opened the small piece of paper and read its contents.

The royal navy failed in stopping the pirates. The Van Eltia has escaped.

Oscar crumpled the piece of paper, "This is the third time… the third time they escaped from my grasp. I can't believe they managed to escape from the royal navy! There were at least thirty ships! How could they have escaped from that?"

A human soldier who was attending to Oscar asked, "What did the note say?"

"…They failed to capture the pirates."

The soldier didn't say anything. He couldn't tell if Oscar was upset or nonchalant about it.

Oscar turned to the soldier, "Prepare a ship. I'm supposed to be at Loegress. I need to report to headquarters what has transpired."

"…But we have no ships. The intruders destroyed the remaining battleship at the docks."

Oscar blinked. Now he remembered that Velvet and her party destroyed the battleship that was stationed at the docks of the fortress. So instead, Oscar wrote something on a small piece of paper, clipped it to the Sylphjay and sent it in the direction of where the royal navy was last seen.

"What's the message for, sir?" The soldier asked Oscar.

"…I'm hoping the navy would be kind enough to lend me a ship to take me to the capital."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Nicely done! We actually managed to escape with no lives lost!" Benwick cheered.

Eizen smiled in agreement. The only thing they probably lost was the excessive use of ammunition, which meant they would have to restock that at the next port. But at least their mission was a success. They managed to infiltrate Vortigern, open its gates and escape from the royal navy. They had to modify some parts of the plan, due to the _Reaper's_ curse, but at least they succeeded.

"Hate to break it to you, but that praetor we brought along from Hellawes escaped." Magilou said to the group.

"We know." Velvet answered plainly, "He's the one that alerted the royal navy about our plan."

"Well, that explains it."

So it wasn't just Velvet's group that had some problems. Magilou, Benwick and the crew on the Van Eltia had been on the run since they began the operation. Now that every settled down, Benwick and the other crewmembers returned to their stations.

The party stayed on the center deck. Ludger's small injury on his shoulder was already treated by then. Number Two approached the young Kresnik.

"…I'm sorry. For the injury, I mean." Number Two said to Ludger.

Ludger looked down at the young malak and shook his head, "It wasn't your fault. Besides, you were just trying to get back the compass because it's important to you, right?"

Number Two nodded.

Velvet kneeled down in front of Number Two, "If it's that important to you, keep it safe. You wouldn't want to lose it again."

"O-Okay."

At this point, Eizen stepped down from the upper decks and approached the young malak.

"Give it. I need to set a course for Loegress." Eizen said to Number Two, referring to the compass in his hands.

Number Two turned around and saw Eizen's open hand, expecting Number Two to just hand it to him. After listening to Ludger and Velvet say about how the compass was important to him, and that he should keep it safe, he felt he needed to keep the compass in his grasp. So he outright refused.

Eizen was surprised at first but then seemed to understand the young malak's feelings. He smirked, "Fine. You read it for me, then."

Number Two's expression brightened up immediately, and nodded, "Yeah. I'll do it!"

"But listen, kid. Give me on false reading, and you're shark bait."

Number Two was startled by the threat. Velvet found that amusing and said to the young malak, "Better work hard."

Number Two turned to face Velvet and asked, "Um… What's _'Laphicet'_?"

Velvet knew Number Two was referring to the incident earlier on the walls of Vortigern. She panicked and uttered out her brother's name when she felt like the scene was repeating. Ludger was there and recalled Velvet saying that word too.

"…It's a name. Your name." Velvet answered a short while.

Number Two was taken aback by that. "My… My name? Laphicet."

Number Two, now named Laphicet, couldn't help but smile. It was just a name, but to him it felt like he was given a new beginning at life. A new identity, a fresh start.

Everyone amongst the party seemed to agree with the name given to Laphicet by Velvet.

"It's a fine name." Rokurou said.

"Indeed, it is." Milla added in agreement.

Magilou doodled with her hair, "Well, it's no Magilou but it's something for sure."

Eizen folded his arms on his chest, "We're through the channel. Give us a course, Laphicet!"

"Aye-aye, sir! We're headed straight for Loegress!" Laphicet answered whilst pointing forward.

Eizen nodded and gave the order to Benwick to sail forward all the way. For Velvet, reaching the capital marked the end of her journey. She just needed to find Artorius, the man that took everything from her, and kill him.

Ludger looked at Velvet, Rokurou, Laphicet, Eizen and then at the pirate crew and realized he was really starting to enjoy the adventures they have and would be going through. Unfortunately once they reach Loegress was where they would separate. Jude definitely was getting attached to the group and this world. The only person that probably still held her resolve to what they needed to do was Milla.

Yes. Loegress was everyone's destination, but it was where their paths would diverge.

* * *

 **Skit: Milla Maxwell's power  
Present: Milla, Eizen & Velvet**

 **Eizen: Hey, Milla.**

 **Milla: What is it?**

 **Eizen: Just what is the extent to your powers? Normally it'd take at least three or four water malakhim to work together in order to alter the course of the sea current.**

 **Milla: I don't know, it's hard to compare Undine's powers and the power of an average malakhim for your world.**

 **Velvet: And if I recall, you have dubbed your malakhim as the '** _ **Great Four'**_ **. From what I remember, I take it the four represents the four basic elements.**

 **Eizen: So… Fire, water, wind and earth.**

 **Milla: Correct.**

 **Eizen: That's quite an arsenal. You add a lot of fire power in our group.**

 **Milla: Maybe, but our goals are different. Once we reach Loegress, Jude, Ludger and I will be moving on our own.**

 **Eizen: That's a shame. You helped us plenty. Don't be a stranger if we ever meet again.**

 **Milla: I won't.**

 **Velvet: … *Leaves***

* * *

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

In Loegress, the capital of the Midgand Empire, Artorius Collbrande, leader of the Abbey and savior of the world, was currently inside the Loegress Villa at his private quarters. It was a rather large room with a king-sized bed and a table. He would have been satisfied with just a simple room but the royal family insisted that the leader of the Abbey, and savior of the world, lived according to his reputation.

At this time of day when he had no other matters to attend to, Artorius would sit in the lotus position and relax his mind. It also served as a way to remind himself of his purpose, his rules or his own teachings that he has passed down to the Abbey. As the leader of the Abbey, he rarely had times like these.

The sound of someone knocking interrupted his train of thought, but he remained seated.

"Enter."

The door opened and an Exorcist whom Artorius recognized as a personal messenger of his entered the room.

"My lord, I apologize for interrupting you but we have received a report sent from the royal navy." The messenger said.

"…I have little interest with the royal navy."

"B-But my lord, the report comes from praetor, Oscar Dragonia."

At this, Artorius opened his eyes. What sparked his interest was that he recognized the name – Oscar Dragonia. While the praetors were only reserved to Exorcists with strong resonance, Oscar was of a different level. He was young, possessed strong resonance, talented and a skilled swordsman of his own right. Another thing that interested him was why Oscar was with the royal navy.

"What does the report say?" Artorius asked the messenger.

"It says that Vortigern fortress has been compromised. The soldiers stationed there have succumbed to daemonblight and states that the Abbey will need to attend to the matter." The messenger paused, as if nervous, "Also… the report states that some fugitives and daemons that escaped from Titania, the prison island, as well as the Aifread's pirates, were responsible for this. They opened the gates and managed to slip through – even escaping the royal navy that praetor Oscar had requested of."

"…Thank you. You are dismissed."

The messenger bowed and Artorius was alone again. The news of Vortigern's fall was of little concern to him. His objectives were on the Abbey. The troubles of the Empire were of minimal concern to him. What did trouble him however was the report stated that the same daemon that escaped from Titania Island was responsible for it. And the only reason the daemon had to go through Vortigern was to reach Port Zekson, and from there, Loegress.

Artorius had only one person in mind that could be capable of such a feat – Velvet, his sister-in law and former student. Her escape coincided with the time when his malak, Seres, had gone rogue.

"It matters not. She is of no threat to me." Artorius said to himself and got up.

He got up and walked to a nearby table, pouring himself a small glass of water. When he raised the glass, it cracked. He stopped and inspected the crack. For most people, they would consider this a bad omen, a sign of something terrible about to happen. But Artorius was a man of reason. He did not believe in such things.

"It's nothing. This is nothing." Artorius said to himself. Yes, he was a man of reason. Emotions were a liability. Logic was how he dealt with things.

But despite his firm belief, Artorius could not shake this feeling of doubt in his heart. Unknown to him, he thought only Velvet would be a thorn to his plans, but the same fugitives that assisted in her escape were going to be a problem as well.

 **CHAPTER END**


	10. CHAPTER 10: LOEGRESS

**Hi guys! I bring to you all the new chapter of this story. From the last chapter, it appears there are 2 offers from readers to be my editor, so after this chapter, if you're interested, I'd definitely be looking forward to working with you!**  
 **Now to respond to the reviewers!**

 **Gravenimage: I might be considering it.**

 **RedRat8: Well the human side was part of the game, I just added in Ludger's part, hehe. Ludger attracting many women? Dayum~~**

 **Grayjack72: Alright, if you're still interested, I'll PM you after this chapter to see how we can work it out. Thanks for the offer**

 **RSBCS: Yeah, they really should have done something about a naval battle instead of just using the ship for travel. I mean, I got hyped for ToB when I heard there's some sort of pirate theme and I felt this would be an interesting approach. Turns out, it's just a mode of transport.**  
 **-Glad you liked that little deja vu scene. It was an interesting touch indeed.**  
 **-Oh cool. Then I'll PM you on whether you can be my editor and work out the little details. Thanks for offering!**

 **ElementalSoldier9819: Well the ToB managed to handle the Abbey well on their own, so that should be fiine. And for the divergence catalyst, it's going to be somewhere around this chapter. Maybe it was rushed, but I think I'm fine with approaching it this way.**  
 **-Interesting theory. Read on and find out!**

 **Kasuyorai: I can understand that. Considering how I'm just writing it as a story, it's almost like everything is a cutscene so I can utilize it by having characters throw these kind of artes XD**  
 **-Yeah I know what you mean. Normally my stories tend to follow the game's storyline but I also diverge in certain areas to give a little difference. But now that they're separated, I think I can truly create a totally new experience for ToB, which I hopefully hope will do well or make sense.**  
 **-Naval battle is one thing, but as you suggested, battles on the ship would have been nice too. I believe that only happens once in the game, and that's when the ToB was trying to search for a therion under the sea. I hope to add more of those "skirmish on the ship" kind of scenarios too for this story.**  
 **-Sorry to say, but the splitting up will happen. Don't worry, the two casts will reunite, but that won't happen for a few chapters from now. And about the different point of views, I like doing that as it helps to develop the other characters too. Especially Oscar for ToB, as I was ultimately disappointed with him. He was so easily defeated in the first two encounters, especially the second (where Velvet just kicks him and knock him out). I plan to give Oscar more legitimacy as a high-ranking praetor.**

 **version15: Glad you liked it. As for the navy not putting up more of a fight, in the original game, it was because the Van Eltia baited them out. In this story, Oscar alerted them in advance so they were aware of their plan.**  
 **-Yup. They will separate but later on, due to circumstances, they will reunite**

 **DarkLord98: Oh yes, I am definitely looking forward to a Chromatus vs Armatus showdown. Not just that, for me, I am honestly pumped up for Melchior meeting Ludger for the first time. Melchior gave off that I-know-everything vibe, and for him to meet a person from another world with the power to cross dimensions will definitely startle the old man.**  
 **-Well I probably can't write Artorius being too afraid as I feel he is a man who always keeps his composure. Unless the situation is really messed up for him**

 **Tony Anderson: Glad you liked it. Here is the new chapter**

 **greatgirl22302: Well I guess I'm honoured to get you to review my story :D it means a lot to me really.**  
 **-Ah you're not the only reader who has been requesting for a Ludger x Velvet ship**

 **NoNameAvailable Bis: That's true about the Alvin bit. Honestly that bugged me in ToX how Jude and the party just kinda accepts Alvin back. But I'm glad that you liked the bit of tension in the chapter**  
 **-Oh wow, thanks for pointing that out. However I feel I'm too deep in now to correct that and I'll probably just have to go with what I've been writing. Honestly I didn't remember about that and just assumed that all Exorcists knew about them forcefully removing the free will of the malakhim.**  
 **-I will truly appreciate any erorrs you find in my chapters, and if possible, I will fix them. Thanks again!**

 **Ace101Mega: Wait, you didn't play Xillia? :O do you understand what's going on? Or how Jude/Milla characters are?**  
 **-Ah yes, look forward to that. I will definitely try to establish Velvet and Milla more in future chapters**

 **Guest: Happy to hear you're hooked to my story :D As for Ludger x Velvet, I have to say I'm surprised at how many readers are asking me to ship Ludger x Velvet. Again, I have no problem with doing that, just saying I'm surprised at the popularity :o**

 **Well that's it for responding to reviews. I hope you guys will enjoy this new chapter and do let me know your thoughts of the new chapter or how the story is coming along. Till next time!**

 **CHAPTER 10: LOEGRESS**

After two hours or so, the Van Eltia finally arrived at Port Zekson. The workers on the harbor saw the Van Eltia and helped to guide its way into a docking slot, which Benwick could have done so on his own. After that, the pirates threw down their anchor into the open water. Once the Van Eltia was secured on the docks, Eizen signaled the party that it was safe to disembark.

Velvet set foot on the harbor and found it odd that Eizen and his pirate crew seemed to not garner any attention. The workers on the docks continued with their jobs, merchants selling their goods and even the guards around the port did not pay them any attention.

"Now this is refreshing!" Rokurou said, "Sailing into port like normal people."

Jude nodded, "I thought we'd need to be careful but it looks like the people don't care about us."

"Or perhaps because they don't know who we are." Milla said, which could be a possible explanation.

Magilou turned to Laphicet with a grin, "Well done, boy. Looks like you're pretty handy with the compass. The sharks are gonna go hungry tonight."

"Yes. I'm glad." Laphicet answered with a nod.

Eizen walked past Velvet and she asked, "Eizen, this won't be a problem? Docking a pirate ship here?"

"No need to worry. We got this covered."

As Eizen said that, a male around his forties approached Eizen with a confident grin on his face. He whistled while looking at the pirate ship, "I don't think I've ever seen the ship so beat up. What happened in your latest adventure?"

Eizen nodded, "Long story, but the royal navy was persistent this time. Can I count on you with the repairs?"

"Of course. But Eizen, I'm sure you know It'll cost you, right?"

"Gald isn't a problem. Just make sure the Van Eltia's patched up by the time I'm done here." Eizen replied.

The middle-aged man, whom Velvet assumed was in charge of the harbor, called a few of his workers and gave vivid instructions about repairing the Van Eltia. After he was done, the workers dispersed, probably to grab their tools.

The middle-aged man returned his attention to the first-mate, "So, how were the northern seas, Eizen?"

"Hellawes and Vortigern are in ruins. Trade with Northgand will likely be disrupted for quite some time."

The man gave a nod, "Well, I like the sound of that. I'll have to act quickly then."

At this point, Ludger, Jude and everyone amongst the party now understood why the pirate crew was able to casually dock the ship at this port. Eizen and the man in-charge of the docks probably had some sort of agreement with each other.

Eizen then switched topic, "Any word of the captain?"

The middle-aged man gave a nod, "Aye. It's an old rumor, but they say captain Aifread was sent to Titania."

"The island prison overseen by the Exorcists, eh? We'll have to look into that."

When Velvet heard the mention of Aifread and the prison island, she briefly recalled the prisoners mentioning that name – Aifread, the only person to have managed to escape from the prison island. She would have to let Eizen know about this later.

The middle-aged man continued talking to Eizen, "Just to let you know, I registered your vessel as one of our merchantmen, same as always. But even so, stay on your guard. There's a grand ceremony being held in Loegress, so lots of watchful eyes about."

"Ceremony? What's the occasion?"

"Not too sure. I'm busy handling things here, so I didn't pay too much attention. But it's pretty big, so it might have something to do with the Abbey."

While Eizen continued speaking with the middle-aged man, Velvet and the party were talking amongst themselves.

"I see. So they exchange information in return for mooring." Rokurou said.

Laphicet cocked his head to the side, "Information… for mooring?"

"Having the latest news gives merchants a chance to make favorable trades." Velvet elaborated.

"That's right. I assume since Eizen travels often, merchants can rely on him for information before the news reaches them." Milla added.

Laphicet understood now, "So it's worth protecting a pirate."

Rokurou crossed his arms around his chest, "I bet Eizen and his crew have connections like this in nearly every port."

"Not even the Abbey's iron decrees can withstand the force known as human greed." Magilou sneered.

It wasn't too much of a surprise. Velvet and Milla recalled Dyle's small hometown village outside Hellawes where the inhabitants commented they were cast away because they did not agree with the Abbey's laws and rules. It was human nature.

Eizen finished dealing with the middle-aged man and walked back to the party. Velvet immediately told him about what she knew.

"Don't bother going to Titania." Velvet said to Eizen, "You won't find Aifread there."

Eizen raised an eyebrow, "I recall you mentioning you escaping from a prison. You were from Titania?"

"That's right. And before I escaped, the prisoners told me that Aifread was the only prisoner to ever get out alive – and apparently with the help of an old Exorcist named Melchior. Ludger, Jude and Milla were there too so they know too."

Ludger nodded, "Now that you mentioned, yeah, you're right. They warned us there was no chance we could escape, and that Aifread only did so because an Exorcist helped him."

Jude noticed Laphicet brightened up at the mention of Melchior. He asked the young malak, "Laphicet, do you know anything about Melchior?"

Laphicet nodded, "Lord Melchior is an elder legate at the Abbey. He's normally present at headquarters."

Velvet twitched, "Don't call him Lord."

Laphicet looked confused as to why Velvet was upset but didn't say anything.

Eizen considered what Velvet just told him before saying, "Jude's already asked me before we infiltrated Vortigern so you all probably know, but Van Aifread's our captain. It's starting to look like his disappearance has connections with the highest levels of the Abbey."

"Their headquarters should be at the capital, right?" Magilou asked.

Laphicet confirmed this with a nod, "Yes, at the royal villa in Loegress. I've never been there though."

Rokurou turned to Velvet, "And Velvet, your business is with a man in the capital, right?"

Velvet gave a nod. At the moment, only Ludger, Jude and Milla knew that her target was Artorius, the leader of the Abbey. The others were not aware of it yet.

"Looks like we're all headed to the same place." Eizen said.

"I won't apologize for involving you." Velvet stated plainly.

"Normally that's my line."

Milla shifted her posture, "It appears we all have business at the capital. But once we arrive, Ludger, Jude and I have our own matter to resolve and we'll separate from there."

Eizen nodded, "Right. Until then, we stay together."

"So do we leave for Loegress immediately?" Jude asked.

Eizen considered it for a few seconds, then shook his head, "There's apparently a ceremony at the capital. We can assume that most of the shops there will be closed until the ceremony is over. We should spend some time here, stock up on potions and gels, and improve our equipments."

"I… I'd like to get a new back pouch." Laphicet requested.

"Oh that's right. You lost your previous one at Vortigern." Ludger remarked. It was actually struck by Oscar, but the details weren't important.

"It's decided then. We can split up and do our own shopping to resupply and improve our current equipment. We'll meet at the entrance to the east of town." Eizen said to the group.

The party agreed and split up. Ludger, Milla, Jude and Dyle were in one group while Velvet, Rokurou, Laphicet and Eizen in another. Magilou chose to be on her own since she had nothing to shop for.

With Velvet's group, their priority was getting Laphicet a new back pouch, which they managed to get one in just a few minutes. Laphicet was more than pleased to get the new back pouch, thanking Velvet, who paid for the item. Rokurou surveyed the dual blades that were on sale but none of them reached his level, so he refused to get any new ones. He needed to return Ludger's pair of dual blades at Loegress, but until then, he would be using these pair.

While they shopped, Eizen heard a comment by a sailor talking to another person.

"Have you heard?" The sailor asked his friend, "Marcus and his pirates were taken out by the royal navy."

"…So, they even got Marcus's crew?" Eizen whispered to himself.

In this world, there were basically four Pirate Kings with the power to stand toe-to-toe against the royal Navy. Last Eizen heard, Marcus was the remaining pirate crew alongside Aifread that were still roaming the seas – but now only Aifread's crew remain. It was safe to say that the Van Eltia was the only ship left that's free from the Abbey's grasp.

After Laphicet was satisfied with his purchase, they moved to the item shop to stock up on potions and gels. It was then the group heard a sailor complaining to no one in particular.

"The wind's kicking and the tide's flowing, and we're stuck here…" The sailor said with a sigh.

Rokurou remembered Magilou telling him and Ludger about ships not being able to set sail without permission. So he said to the sailor, "Let me guess – need permission from the Abbey?"

The sailor turned to Rokurou and, despite being a stranger, nodded, "You guessed it. It's frustrating how we _always_ need to ask for their permission just to lift anchor."

Since this was the first time Velvet heard of such a rule, she asked, "Why do they need permission?"

"The kingdom keeps a strict watch on harbors and sea routes." Eizen explained, "Since Midgand is spread across a number of islands, the sea is the only way to get from one place to another. So if they can control the ships, they can control the flow of people, goods, and to some extent, information. To put it bluntly, it's like they've erected walls and gates in the sea. Vortigern fortress is a prime example of this."

The sailor nodded again, "It's restrictive and frustrating, but I guess it's also necessary. There are daemons out at sea too, and Exorcists are the only ones who can go against them."

"Let's return to stocking up our items." Velvet said to the group, turning away, "We've learned enough."

Meanwhile Ludger, Jude, Milla and Dyle were on the eastern side of town and have already completed their shopping. They were now just waiting close to the main gates for Velvet and the others. There were noticeably a lot of guards stationed at the main gates.

"Sir! Scouts have reported of a powerful daemon! It's danger level has been classified as code red!" One of the soldiers reported to his superior.

Milla observed the guards and said, "With wild daemons close to the capital, the Abbey must have its hands full."

"What's a code red daemon though?" Jude wondered aloud.

Dyle beamed with pride, "It's basically a list for most wanted daemons. They're normally crazy strong, so even the Exorcists are normally cautious about approaching a code red daemon."

"They're that dangerous?" Milla questioned.

"Oh you better believe it! Best to just avoid a code red daemon if you see one. Worse-case scenario – you better hope you've made ample preparations before facing one."

Ludger scratched the back of his neck, "I guess it's like the elite monsters back in our world."

Jude's eyes flashed, "Oh yeah, that's right. The Spirius bulletin board always posted those elite monsters to take down, offering tons of gald. You're normally up for the idea because of the huge reward."

Dyle turned towards the young Kresnik with interest, "Ludger, I never knew you were so gald hungry. Heh, I guess you have your flaws."

"Well… it's true I took on those jobs because of the reward, but… well, it's kinda complicated."

"Ludger has a twenty million gald debt." Milla stated plainly.

Dyle's eyes nearly bulged out of its sockets, "T-T-T-TWENTY MILLION GALD?!"

"Milla! You didn't have to tell him that." Jude scolded.

Milla looked genuinely confused, "Huh? Was it wrong of me?"

"It's fine Jude. She's not wrong. I do have a twenty million gald debt in our world – even though I'm only twenty years old. My life… is over." Ludger said. Jude noticed his friend seem to have his life sapped out of him, being reminded of his huge debt in their world.

"L-Ludger! Hang in there!"

By then, Velvet and her group have finished their shopping and arrived at the main gate, approaching Ludger's group. Magilou was also with Velvet. They saw Ludger looked like he lost the will to live while Jude tried to revive him and Dyle looked to be in shock. Only Milla seemed normal.

"Are you all ready to leave?" Velvet asked, addressing the question to Milla.

Milla nodded, "We're ready."

"Then let's get going."

"Loegress is just south from here." Eizen told the group, "Just follow the road and we should reach the capital."

Before the group left the main gates, Dyle stepped up, "Actually you guys go on ahead. I'm going to stay here with the ship and the crew."

"Why?" Eizen asked. He didn't have a problem with it, but he still wanted to know.

"I just feel more comfortable being close to the sea. Besides, I may be a second-rate sailor, but I'm quite handy when it comes to making repairs. I could help with the patching up the ship."

"…It's your choice. If that's what you want, you can."

Dyle nodded and turned to Jude, Ludger and then Milla, "You guys are going to be separating at Loegress, right? Then I guess its farewell."

Dyle gave his goodbyes, turned around and walked back in the direction of the harbor. After that, the party of eight exited the main gates of Port Zekson and entered the Danann Highway.

XXXXX

The Danann Highway was grassland with a brick road leading to the south, acting as a pathway to Loegress for travelers. For Jude, Milla and Ludger, the Danann Highway reminded them of the Sapstrath highroad, with the only thing missing was the brick road.

While the Danann Highway was beaming with wildlife and the local flora and fauna, monsters and daemons also inhabited the region. So the party still had to fend off the regular group of monsters or daemons that preyed on them, which were easily dealt with. Of course it was only seven of them participating in battle since Magilou couldn't enter combat without her _'partner_ '.

That was why after one particularly battle with a group of monsters, Velvet and Rokurou asked why Magilou was still sticking with the group when she had her own objective of searching for someone. They learned from there that Magilou couldn't cast artes of any sort without her accomplice. So the self-proclaimed witch was pretty much defenseless on her own.

Halfway during their journey through the Danaan Highway, Eizen walked next to Jude because he wanted to talk with him.

"Jude, you guys are going your own way once we reach the capital, right?" Eizen asked.

"…Y-Yeah. You, Velvet and Rokurou's goals are with the Abbey. But that's not our goal. I guess it's for the best really."

Silence between them for a few seconds, then Eizen spoke again, "If that's the case, mind if we finish our conversation back before we infiltrated Vortigern?"

"…What?"

"About the Aifread from your world." Eizen elaborated, "Not just that, I have some questions about your world that I'm interested to know."

Now Jude remembered. It was back at the Laban tunnel when he asked Eizen if Aifread was his captain and after that, he told Eizen about how Rieze Maxia also had a famous pirate and explorer with the same name.

"I don't mind, but why the interest?" Jude asked.

Eizen smirked, "I haven't told you guys yet, but Aifread's pirates dream of one day designing a map of the entire world. When we still had our captain, we spent most of the time exploring the outer seas, scavenging for lost treasures and discovering ancient civilization. Once we've finished exploring through the world, we can draw an accurate map of the world!"

"That's great, but, uh… how does learning about my world help?"

"I don't know." Eizen admitted, "I don't think it will help at all. But when Velvet told me you are all from another world, and then you said that you know of a pirate named Aifread in your world, it makes me wonder… If maybe our world is linked somehow."

"Eizen…"

"Or maybe our world has no connection whatsoever." Eizen said with a smirk, "But I'm the kind of guy that's always keen to learn more about the unknown. It's why I enjoy exploring the outer seas and traverse through ancient ruins. So your world is a mystery to me. Please, I'd like to learn more about your world."

Jude sighed but had a smile on his face, "Okay, fine. We'll be going our separate ways after this, so I guess I don't mind."

So Jude tried to tell Eizen everything about Rieze Maxia. He gave a brief summary of Rieze Maxia, the origin and usage of spirit artes and its connection to mana, spirits and whatever he could in the span of fifteen minutes. Obviously it wasn't enough considering each topic was huge, but Jude really tried. He of course left out about the schism and Elympios as explaining that would probably just cause more confusion. For now, just telling Eizen of the world of Rieze Maxia was enough.

At the end of it, Eizen was left speechless, "…I don't know what to say."

"Did you actually understand all that?"

Eizen shook his head, "No. There are so many more questions I'd like to ask, but I don't think that will help any. It sounds like your world has a very rich culture and history, something that I won't be able to appreciate just from listening. If I could actually visit your world, I think I'd understand it better."

Jude chuckled, "I'm sorry I can't tell you more than that."

Eizen smiled but didn't say anything, ending their conversation there.

After another twenty minutes of walking through the Danaan Highway and fending off monsters and daemons, the large walls of Loegress finally came into view.

Laphicet was mesmerized, "Wow… Those walls… They're so huge."

"That's Loegress, the capital of the Empire." Eizen informed the party, "They keep daemons out by enclosing the city within a great wall."

"But didn't daemons start appearing around ten years ago?" Ludger asked, "If the walls were built to keep the daemons out, how did they build it within such a short period of time?"

"Humanity has achieved great things on the backs of the slave malakhim." Magilou said with a grin. This just made Jude upset about how the Abbey abused the malakhim of this world.

Rokurou asked the young malak, "Why the surprise, Laphicet? Is this your first time to the capital?"

"I have been here before, but back then… I was not who I am now, so… it feels refreshing."

"I see. Tethered malakhim aren't even allowed the freedom to observe their surroundings." Rokurou said sadly.

"Their treatment of malakhim… It's unforgivable." Jude said softly but with disgust.

"You know, we'll soon lose such freedom ourselves." Magilou addressed the group, "We've reached the heart of the empire, and of the Abbey. Soldiers and Exorcists are stationed all around. This is no place for fugitives like us."

Velvet was not dissuaded, "I'm not looking for a place. I only need to find Artorius. That's it."

"Then let's go." Milla said, walking forward. The rest of the party followed.

Once the party was close enough to the main gates, they noticed that it was rather crowded. There were a number of soldiers and an even larger number of regular people speaking with the guards. There were merchants with carts, some just average travelers and others consisted of families.

"Looks like they're carrying an inspection." Eizen said to the party, "Must be for whatever ceremony's taking place inside the capital."

"An inspection?" Velvet cried out with a hint of panic.

Milla turned to the first-mate, "Eizen, what do we do?"

Eizen observed the soldiers attending to the people and noticed that some entered the city gates without consorting with the guards.

"They won't inspect everyone. Just act natural." Eizen advised the group as he walked forward.

This sounded simple enough and everyone started walking towards the city gates. Velvet and Milla however did not move.

"Act natural." Milla repeated and then turned to Velvet, "What do I normally do that's natural?"

"How should I know?!" Velvet responded harshly.

As Rokurou walked past Velvet, he dropped a comment, "Your face is all stiff."

"I know!"

Velvet sighed, took a deep breath and followed the party in hopes that she did not draw any unwanted attention. Milla on the other hand was not sure whether she was acting naturally or not and decided to just mimic Velvet, walking behind the daemon. So instead of avoiding attention, because Milla and Velvet looked rather similar to some degree, all eyes were on them.

The party entered the city but because of the attention Velvet and Milla drew, some of the guards obviously took note that none of them had inspected either Velvet or Milla for their travel permit. The captain in charge of the main gates ordered two others to his side before they also entered the city to request Velvet and Milla's travel permit.

Once inside the city, Eizen and everyone else thought they managed to enter the city with no incident. But they were wrong.

"Hey you, in the black coat and your blonde friend. Show me your documentation." The captain called out.

Velvet and Milla stopped and turned around. They were looking at the captain of the guards with two soldiers by his sides.

Velvet panicked, "Uh… Um…"

"Documentation? What do you mean?" Milla asked calmly.

"What do I mean…?" The captain repeated, unamused, "I'm talking about your travel permit from the Abbey! Show it to me!"

Velvet took a quick glance at Eizen and saw that even the first-mate could not offer a solution to get out of this mess. This was bad. If they don't have a good excuse to give to the guards, then surely they would be taken into custody. And if they tried to escape, then it would mean alerting the whole city of their presence.

Before Velvet and Milla knew it, Magilou suddenly gave a whack on the back of their heads. Both grunted in pain, turning to the self-proclaimed witch in confusion.

"You bumbling idiots!" Magilou scolded, "How many times have I told you two? A magician must always wear a pleasant grin! I'm ashamed to have you two as my apprentice."

"Magicians?" The city guard captain questioned.

Magilou faced the captain with a big smile, "Verily! I present to you the travelling troupe of mischievous misfits known across the land as… Magilou's Menagerie!"

"…Entertainment for the ceremony?"

"Why yes, indeed we are, my dear! Please pardon my two uncouth apprentices." Magilou said then turned to Milla and Velvet, "Girls! Allay the good man's fears and show him your tricks you've spent all these weeks on! Go to."

Velvet was even more lost, "Huh?!"

Milla understood that she needed to impress the guards so without revealing the Great Spirit of fire's physical form, she ordered Efreet to create a wall of fire and have the flames dance around her without burning anything. After several seconds of this, Efreet stopped.

The city guard captain was unimpressed, "Isn't that just a simple fire arte? How's that a trick?"

Magilou acted quickly and whacked the back of Milla's head again, "You idiot! How many times have I told you to work on your tricks! You clearly have a long way to go before you can be considered a talented performer!"

"…I apologize, mistress."

Magilou saw that the guard captain seemed to at least buy that Milla simply failed with her tricks. She now had to deal with Velvet.

Magilou pointed at Velvet, "And you! Show the guard your, uh… dove trick you've been working on."

Now that Velvet saw how Milla just went with the flow, she tried to follow as well, "I, uh… Sorry mistress, I forgot to prepare."

"Y-Y-You pathetic little shirker! A proper performer is perpetually prepared!"

At this point, the city guard captain was losing interest, "It's fine. Doves flying around would be a nuisance."

Velvet almost sighed in relief, thinking they got away with it. Unfortunately for her, Magilou saw this as an opportunity to have a little bit of fun with the icy-cold daemon.

"No, this will not do! If my golden-haired apprentice tried, she has too as well." Magilou turned to Velvet, "If you cannot summon a dove, then ACT like one!"

Velvet glared at the self-proclaimed witch with a threatening smile, thinking it would frighten Magilou. She was wrong.

"Act. Like. A. Dove!"

Velvet twitched in annoyance but for the sake of not blowing their cover, she had no choice but to obey Magilou. She was pretending to be her apprentice after all. So she raised one hand in front of her lips and used the hand to represent a beak.

Blushing deep red, Velvet uttered the words, "Coo. Coo."

There was already a crowd around them since the guard captain called out on them, so a lot of people witnessed Velvet's impression of a dove – and they loved it. There were giggles from women and men either laughing or whistling.

Pleased with Velvet's actions, Magilou used what little power she had and cast a sparkly white light in the palm of her hand and waved it around before throwing her hand into the air, creating several doves above her. The people that were watching the spectacle were awed by it and started clapping and cheering for the group.

By then, the city guards have completely forgotten about asking for Velvet and Milla's travel permit.

Magilou then addressed the crowd to end it here, "Remember, Magilou's Menagerie manufactures mirth! That was just a small sample for the good citizenry of Loegress!"

"Hey! You can't advertise here! You and – ugh, never mind! J-Just move along! Move along!"

The guard captain shook his head and spun around, returning to the main gates. The two guards at his side followed. The crowd that was watching the group also dispersed, finally leaving the party alone.

Rokurou burst out laughing, "That was a fine ploy, Magilou."

"Well, don't expect tricks like that every day. Coo, coo."

Velvet sent a death glare at the self-called witch. Everyone could feel her murderous aura.

"Oh! That murderous gaze!" Magilou cried and running behind Rokurou and Eizen to hide, "Can you blame me? It was such a great trick. Coo, coo."

Before Velvet could try and silence Magilou, Eizen stepped up and turned towards the Lord of Spirits. "Well we've reached the capital. Milla, I guess this is where we split off."

Milla gave a nod. Jude and Ludger walked out of the party and joined Milla at her side. Velvet and the others now remembered that the trio would be splitting off from here.

"Oh right, you said you got your own business to deal with at the capital." Rokurou said. After that, he took out the dual blades and handed it to its owner, "Here you go, Ludger. Thanks for borrowing them to me. They were a great help."

Ludger accepted it and asked, "Will you be okay though? I mean, you don't use _Stormhowl_ , so you don't have any weapons."

"Don't worry. We're in the capital. I'm sure I can get a pair of dual swords or something from one of the weapon shops here."

"We never got to have our little spar to see whether the front-grip or the reverse-grip is better." Ludger reminded with a smile.

Rokurou chuckled, "I guess we'll never find out."

While Ludger and Rokurou had their final conversation, Jude and Milla thanked the rest for their help. Jude conversed with Eizen for one last time.

Milla turned to Velvet, "We may have had differences between us, but I appreciate your help and the time working together. I wish you luck in your journey."

"Thanks. You, too." Velvet returned.

Laphicet stepped up and stumbled on words, "Um… G-Good luck… And t-thank you for helping us."

Milla smiled, "Thank you. You're still young and have much to learn. You need to be completely free from the Abbey before you can grow. So good luck in your journey as well, Laphicet."

After that, Milla briefly at Magilou before calling Jude and Ludger. The two ended their own conversation and rejoined Milla. The trio gave one last goodbye together and wished the other luck for their own objective before they turned out.

But before the trio could get far, Magilou called out to them, "Hey! If you ever have trouble with travel permits, you're welcome to use Magilou's Menagerie's name! Just make sure you have your own tricks up your sleeve!"

Ludger and Jude simply waved in response to Magilou's gift before they disappeared in the sea of crowd. After that, Velvet and her group also delved into the city.

XXXX

Ludger, Jude and Milla's first priority was to dig up for any kind of information that they might find useful. That was their only course of action really. Since this was a completely new world, there was no lead for them to take in search of the divergence catalyst.

In order to not draw suspicion, the trio decided to loiter around the residential district of the city and listen to conversations of the citizens of the capital. They didn't exactly want to draw suspicions by asking people questions they might not have any knowledge of. At least if they picked something up, they could ask the person then.

It was then the trio heard an old man talking to another, supposedly his friend, "…I just believe the future of Midgand is in good hands. Prince Percival has a lot of potential as future King, and also with Lord Artorius in charge of the Abbey, they will definitely create a golden age for the empire!"

Jude couldn't help but ask the old man, "Is Prince Percival ruling Midgand?"

The old man turned to Jude and nodded, "Yes, he is. He's the crown prince."

"What about the King?" Ludger asked.

"The King is in good health, but he's decided to withdraw from public and leave the kingdom to his son, Prince Percival."

"The crown Prince seems admirable." Milla commented.

"The crown prince is still young, but he holds a lot of potential as future King." The old man remarked with passion, "He's following in the footsteps of his father by working hand-in-hand with Lord Artorius and the Abbey. As long as we have Lord Artorius and Prince Percival, the future of Midgand is bright. You can ask anyone and they'd agree a hundred percent!"

"I guess the royal family is well-loved."

"Definitely!" The old man said, "As a matter of fact, the whole ceremony today is because the crown Prince has an announcement for the people concerning Lord Artorius at the castle. If you young folk have the time, you should head to the castle and attend the ceremony! You won't regret it, I can assure you of that."

The old man walked away with his friend, clearly satisfied that he has passed his admiration for the crown Prince and the savior of the world to the younger generation. Ludger, Milla and Jude considered what they were just told.

"So the ceremony today is an announcement from the crown Prince." Ludger said, "It must be a big deal if they need to make a ceremony out of it."

"But it concerns Artorius, the savior of this world, so I guess it's a pretty big deal." Jude pointed out.

Milla shifted her posture, "Artorius… that's the man Velvet is after."

"Are you worried?" Jude asked Milla.

"…No. Velvet has her reasons for going after Artorius, and knowing her, she is prepared to accept the consequences. But if we're going to be stuck in this world with no idea who or what the divergence catalyst is, then I think hearing what the crown prince has to say about Artorius is to our benefit."

"Should we attend the ceremony then?" Ludger asked.

Milla thought for a moment before she nodded, "Yes. Let's go. Where is it again?"

"The old man said it's at the castle." Jude answered, "Let's ask for directions and head there."

XXXXX

Meanwhile Velvet and the party with her were currently at the central square and on their way to the castle to attend the ceremony. Before this, they were also gathering information by speaking with the people and learned a few things. For one, they learned of how much the people had an undying faith to the Abbey, the state of the royal family and most importantly, regarding the crown Prince making an official announcement at the castle. That was why they were on their way there.

From the central square, the party then walked towards the east where they saw a huge flight of steps they had to take before entering the compound of the castle. Since they saw a large number of the townspeople were climbing the stairs, they just followed.

When the party arrived at the top of the stairs, they saw that a large crowd had already gathered at the front gates of the castle, all simultaneously chanting _"Midgand"_ , showing their devotion and faith in the empire. To Velvet and the party, it was rather frightening to witness their blind devotion.

"Listen to those cheers." Magilou said whilst shaking her head, "The royals sure have these folks in line."

Rokurou looked at the crowd and whistled, "I know the people we talked to say the royals were popular, but I didn't expect them to be so loved."

Suddenly the crowd stopped their chanting and started clapping while the other half cheered. Velvet saw the crowd looking up and spotted a person standing on the castle's large balcony. She concluded that the person was the crown Prince.

"Subjects! May I have your attention?" The crown Prince began, and the crowd instantly obeyed as they grew deathly silent. The crown Prince then continued, "Thank you. I am Percival Asgard, crown Prince of the Midgand Empire! His Majesty my father and I are pleased to celebrate with you on this auspicious day!"

"The ceremony's started. With a crowd this big, it's impossible for us to slip through now." Eizen observed.

The crown Prince continued speaking, "After the ' _Opening'_ ten years ago, our kingdom faced an existential threat, both from daemons and the terrible spread of daemonblight. However, one man raised a miraculous sword and stood so that the body and soul of the land would not be lost. And the name of that man… Was Artorius Collbrande!"

The moment the crown Prince uttered that name, Velvet's eyes shot up and searched for her target. However she did not see him. The crown Prince continued talking, so she assumed that the prince was still not yet finished with his speech. But she could not wait. Her blood was boiling and her patience was at an end.

Rokurou noticed Velvet had her sights on the castle balcony, said, "You can climb up if you want, but attacking now would be suicide."

"Artorius! Artorius! Artorius!" The large crowd started chanting.

The fact that Velvet still couldn't see her target and the townspeople now chanting of the cursed name that ruined her life was the trigger. She ignored Rokurou's warning and dashed away from the party, sprinting towards her left and climbing a fleet of stairs.

As Velvet ran up the steps, Prince Percival continued his speech, "None here, I trust, are unfamiliar with Artorius's noble act. To bring us salvation from daemons, he sacrificed everything. He called Lord Innominat, one of the Five Empyreans, and blessed us with the strength of the malakhim."

Velvet climbed the railing and jumped across, smashing into one side of the castle wall. She transformed her left arm into its demonic form and sunk her claws into the wall, using it to stick to the wall. While she hung there, Prince Percival continued praising Artorius's deeds, further enraging Velvet.

"They know nothing of what he's done, and they treat him as the savior…" Velvet growled under her breath, trying to contain her anger, "He's nothing but a murderer… a murderer! You killed him… You killed my brother! You took everything that I loved!"

Velvet's determination grew and started climbing the wall, using her demonic left arm to climb.

"Velvet!" Laphicet called out from below, deeply concerned that Velvet would fall.

Rokurou saw Velvet and scratched his head, "Wow, she's actually scaling the wall? I don't know whether to be impressed or worried for her."

"Come on. We need to make sure she doesn't get caught." Eizen said, running up the stairs Velvet was on a few seconds ago. Rokurou, Laphicet and a reluctant Magilou followed.

During all this, Prince Percival continued talking, "He serves as a shining beacon of reason in this world of turmoil. And reason is what binds us! So raise your voices in praise to Artorius's devoted work, to the savior who purifies evil and guides our flock! Let us call him… Our Shepherd!"

Immediately, the people started chanting.

"Shepherd Artorius! Shepherd Artorius!"

Velvet finally arrived at the top of the castle wall on the side. She scanned the balcony of the castle, and for the first time in three years, her eyes finally found her target.

Velvet clenched her fists until they turned white. "Shepherd… Artorius!"

XX

On the balcony of the castle, several high-ranking praetors and legate Melchior stood at attention while they listened to Prince Percival's speech. Amongst the high-ranking praetors, Lady Teresa was present as well. She had to come to the capital to report about the incident at Hellawes after all.

When Prince Percival finished his speech by dubbing Artorius as Shepherd Artorius, which was the cue for Artorius to reveal himself to the masses. Lady Teresa watched Artorius walk up to the end of the balcony next to Prince Percival. The moment the townspeople saw the savior, they immediately released a defying cheer. The people chanted the name _"Shepherd Artorius"_ even louder now.

"Is something the matter, Lady Teresa?" A woman praetor next to Teresa asked.

Teresa shook her head with a small smile, "N-No, I'm fine. Just… Have a little on my mind."

"Is it about your brother?"

Teresa hesitated but gave a nod seconds later, "Y-Yes. I heard from headquarters that he's safe, and is on his way from Vortigern, but… I still worry for him."

The woman praetor smiled, "You really care for your brother."

Teresa simply smiled at that, which was basically confirming the words of the praetor next to her. She cared deeply for the well-being of her brother. When she learned that her brother was alive and well after he was caught by those daemons that torched Hellawes, she was relieved and thanked the four Empyreans for ensuring her brother's safety.

At the moment, Oscar Dragonia was on his way to Loegress.

XXXXX

Ludger, Jude and Milla were amongst the crowd of people at the front of the castle, cheering the name of the world's savior. When Artorius finally stood next to the prince, the trio got a good look at the man. They took note that his attire matched the Abbey's Exorcist uniform, but with a little bit extra. For one, he possesses a long, white and gold coat with an ocean-blue interior with matching pants and boots. He also wore an extravagant cape resting on his right shoulder, its colors matching the uniform. He has long silver hair which he keeps it tied.

After the crowd finally quiet down, a deathly silence grew in the air. Everyone waited for Artorius, the savior of the world, to speak. Artorius looked down at the gathered townspeople, as if judging each and every one of them. Some of the people could almost feel as if he was staring at them right through their soul.

Finally, Artorius spoke.

"Even though the world was filled with suffering, I had to ask something tremendous of you all. I entrusted you to endure the pains of reason. I asked you to bind yourselves with the shackles of your own will! For the only blade that can expel calamity is one forged from unshaking reason and the iron will to do what must be done!" Artorius paused and raised his left-hand up, "And now that very blade stands ready – before all of us today! I offer my body and my life in service to the people of this great land! With the blessings… Of the Empyrean Innominat, I will guide you to a world without calamity!"

While Artorius spoke, Ludger looked around him and saw everyone listening to every word, all drawn by Artorius's appeal and charisma.

"This world's suffering… Will be nothing but a distant memory!" Artorius declared, ending his speech.

Once more, the gathered townspeople erupted in a cheer, chanting the name of Artorius once more. Thunderous applause echoed throughout the main gates of the castle.

Milla continued to stare at Artorius, "…So he is the man that Velvet is after. His leadership and the way he draws people in… It's almost like Gaius."

"Well, he is this world's savior, so I guess everyone in this world is drawn to him." Jude said, "If Velvet's goal really is his life, then she really is going against the world. We really don't want to ruffle the Abbey's feathers."

"Agreed." Milla replied.

Ludger didn't say anything but his eyes remained glued on Artorius. Something about Artorius seemed off, but the young Kresnik couldn't tell what it was. Regardless, he agreed with Jude and Milla – this was a person you wouldn't want to be enemies with.

XXXXXX

On the far end of the castle wall, Velvet had enough of listening to Artorius speech and the crowd of people cheering for him. She withdrew her gauntlet blade and was about to charge for an assault when someone appeared behind her and pushed her head down.

"You fool! They'll see us!" Rokurou scolded.

To Rokurou's surprise, Velvet didn't struggle against him. She just continued glaring at Artorius, whispering death threats at the savior of the world. By this time, Eizen and Magilou caught up and joined the group.

Eizen looked at where Velvet's eyes were on and said, "The shepherd Artorius… THAT'S who you're after?"

"…Yes." Velvet answered. Now everyone knew.

"And here I thought, you'd straight-up pounce on him." Magilou teased.

Velvet scoffed, "That would be certain death. I've waited three long years for this, I'm not going to blindly do something stupid. No, I need a sword of reason and will. That's the only thing that can kill him."

Laphicet was in disbelief, "Killing… Lord Artorius."

Magilou sighed, "That's boring. Well, I had fun watching but it is at this juncture we go our separate ways. I've got a bit of hunting to do."

"No one's stopping you." Velvet retorted.

Rokurou chuckled, "Knowing you, you'd probably find some way to join us again."

Magilou smiled at the group, "Maybe I will, and maybe I won't. But for now, I bid you all farewell. May your days be fruitful and your nights tormented!"

"Goodbye." Laphicet said.

With that, Magilou also separated from the group and climbed down the steps, heading for the central district of Loegress.

Rokurou considered Velvet's goal, "If our enemy's calling himself a shepherd, he won't be going into hiding. Let's take this slowly."

"I noticed the old man behind him… Was that Melchior?" Eizen asked Laphicet.

Laphicet nodded.

Eizen thought for a moment before he spoke again, "Let's gather information on these people. If we know what they're planning, we can hopefully find a weakness."

"Any ideas?" Velvet inquired.

"Aifread has close ties to a shadow guild. I'm not familiar with them, but perhaps they might know something we can use."

"Where do we find them?" Rokurou asked the blonde first-mate.

"A tavern in the city run by an old man called Baskerville serves as a front for them. We'll have to look for them."

Velvet was not expecting that, "A shadow guild? Those sorts of things actually exist?"

At that point, Laphicet's stomach suddenly grumbled, surprising the young malak and interrupting the conversation.

Rokurou laughed, "Well looks like someone's hungry. The shadow guild is at a tavern right? Let's go and get something to eat for Laphicet. They'll have food, I'm sure."

Velvet noticed Laphicet looked worried and decided to go for it. "Why not? Let's go."

So Velvet, Rokurou, Laphicet and Eizen pushed through the crowd of people, who were still singing praises for the newly-dubbed shepherd. Because of the number of people, Velvet didn't notice they passed by Ludger and his two friends.

Once they were back at the central square of the capital, they started their search for the capital. During the search, Rokurou started a conversation.

"The Exorcists sure were out in full force to see the Shepherd's inauguration, weren't they?" Rokurou commented.

"You mentioned you're looking for someone in the Abbey. Did you see him?" Eizen asked.

"Nope. He isn't the kind of guy that wants to stand around looking all proper. It's not his style."

"But I thought he was one of the top Exorcists?"

"That wouldn't matter to him."

"I see…"

Rokurou turned to Velvet, "Actually, Velvet, speaking of the Shepherd, I noticed his right arm. Was he hurt or something?"

"Yeah. He was badly wounded a long time ago." Velvet explained, "He lost the use of his sword arm. But don't get the wrong idea. He's still a master swordsman with his left arm."

Rokurou nodded, "Don't worry, I can tell. His movements are steady and measured, and his chi is centered below his navel. It's different to Ludger's."

Velvet blinked, "Ludger?"

"When I met Ludger for the first time, I had a feeling he was a pretty good swordsman – and I was right. He not only handles well with his dual blades, but he is able to use his huge sledgehammer and those foreign weapons of his. Honestly, I'd really like to test my skills against a guy like him. But Artorius… Artorius is different. I'm not sure how to explain it, but you can sense the aura around him is something you don't want to mess with."

"I feel it too." Eizen admitted, "Even when he appears to be calm, I can tell he never lets his guard down. He's a formidable foe."

Velvet didn't say anything. Hearing Rokurou and Eizen admit to his strengths just confirmed for her how powerful her target was.

Rokurou clenched his fist in excitement, "Now I think I know why my target has placed himself at Artorius's side – because now I wanna take Artorius down, too!"

"Spoken like a true swordsman." Eizen said with a smile.

The party of four then continued their search for the tavern, travelling around the capital while looking for the specific tavern. While they searched, they kept hearing people praising Artorius, saying things like how he was the man who would lead them all to a world of peace. Velvet was disgusted at how blind the people were. To her, Artorius was a man that would even sacrifice everyone's lives if it meant achieving his goals. She knew he was capable of that.

After several minutes, Eizen finally found it.

"That's the tavern. Let's head in." Eizen said, leading the way.

The party of four entered the tavern and found it rather empty with only two people inside. There was an old woman with gray hair on the far end of the room, sitting behind a table and enjoying a cup of tea. The other was presumably the owner of the place, standing behind the bar.

"Is this the place?" Rokurou asked while looking around.

Eizen surveyed his surroundings before gesturing at the man behind the bar, "Get something to eat first. We'll ask after that."

Velvet agreed and approached the man behind the bar, Laphicet following her.

The tavern keeper looked at Velvet and asked, "What'll it be?"

"Some food for the boy." Velvet replied.

At this point, the old woman got up from her seat and approached the bar, "I'd recommend our Mabo curry, it's our specialty. It takes a week to stew properly."

"He'll have that, then." Velvet said.

The tavern keeper nodded and proceeded to make preparations for the curry. While the party of four waited, they wondered how to ask about the shadow guild. Unknown to them, the old lady was already aware who they were searching for.

XXXXXXX

Just outside the castle of the royal family, the people learned that Artorius had to return to the Loegress villa, the headquarters of the Abbey. This was a rare opportunity for them to see Artorius in the flesh and have lined up in two, forming a path between the crowds.

Ludger, Jude and Milla wanted to just move on but due to the excitement of the people, they couldn't find an opportunity to slip out and had no choice but to just wait until Artorius exited the castle and walked past them.

"Shepherd Artorius! Shepherd Artorius!" The crowd continued to chant while waiting for their savior.

After a minute, Artorius finally emerged from the main entrance of the castle and behind him was the legate Melchior followed by the high-ranking praetors that attended the ceremony. The gathered townspeople all cheered for Artorius as he walked through the path formed by the people lined up.

As Artorius passed by Ludger, Jude and Milla, a little girl at the front of the crowd accidentally dropped a ball she was holding, rolling forward in front of Artorius. The little girl wanted to grab her ball but considering that Artorius was before them, the mother held her daughter so that she won't cause disturbance. Ludger felt bad for the little girl, mainly because she reminded him of Elle. So he pushed through the crowd and entered the pathway where Artorius was.

"Ludger?" Jude called out.

Ludger grabbed the ball and returned it to the girl, which got her smiling again. Before Ludger could return into the crowd, Artorius spoke.

"That was kind of you." Artorius said to Ludger.

Ludger turned to face Artorius and looked at him. Now that he was standing before him, Ludger realized the man was much taller than him, probably even taller than his brother, Julius. The man's presence was dignified and he truly carried the presence of a leader.

Since Artorius was just a few feet away, Ludger was considered to be in close proximity – and it was then Ludger noticed something emitting from Artorius's chest. A dark-purple color.

Ludger's eyes widened, taking a step back and muttered, "…That's… the catalyst."

Artorius narrowed his eyes, "Are you all right?"

Jude and Milla however also witnessed it and in a fluke of luck, finally found their target – the divergence catalyst. The only problem now was that the catalyst was on the savior of the world and leader of the Abbey.

And what made their situation even worse was that Lady Teresa, praetor of the Abbey, was just behind Artorius. She didn't spot Ludger yet but if she did, she would identify him to Artorius as one of the culprits that burned Hellawes.

 **CHAPTER END**


	11. CHAPTER 11: OBJECTIVES

**A/N: Hey guys! I apologize for the almost 3 week delay as I returned to updating my other story. I'm probably going to be doing a system where this story gets 2 chapters worth of update before returning to my other story for 1 chapter to update.**  
 **Also this chapter has been edited by RSBCS, so thank you to him/her for agreeing to be my editor. Appreciate it! With that said, let's get to responding to reviews!**

 **Gravenimage: Yeah it gets kinda obvious but it had to be done**

 **Roxas Blaze: You have a point there. It's like Ludger just attracts trouble lol.**  
 **-Well those are interesting theories. All I can say right now is that I've decided to go with Berseria and Xillia's words are connected. It might not be received well and maybe it won't even make sense, but with what I have planned, I'm going to try and make a connection through that.**  
 **-Ah you're right. I did forget a skit for the previous chapter. Last chapter was just kinda heavy on the dialogue so that completely slipped by me. I actually almost forgot one for this chapter too.**  
 **-I think I'll have to do a Ludger x Velvet for this story. There's too many readers demanding of it, huhu**

 **Tony Anderson: I tend to like ending the chapters with a cliffhanger**

 **RedRat8: Well it's true that Ludger's group now has a reason to stick with Velvet, but well... it won't be so simple. And that's an interesting bit about Ludger acting as a father-figure. He certainly has been acting that way**

 **RSBCS: Yeah everyone is absolutely crazy about the dove scene. Honestly it followed the game but with a little bit extra since Milla was also involved.**  
 **-Well if you liked seeing it from a different perspective, you should enjoy it with this story. I tend to offer different point of views for the characters, especially since I plan to give more spotlight to Oscar as I felt he was rather underwhelming in the game.**  
 **-Again thanks for your part on editing the story. It will definitely be much more pleasing for the readers now.**

 **version15: Thanks. I was also quite pleased with myself when I came up with how to have the catalyst revealed**

 **Someguy: Officially they are two different worlds. In this story, I'm actually having them connected. Honestly I feel the reasons won't even match, but I'm just going to try my best and have them linked in some way. It might upset some of you, but it's just something I want to try to link between ToX and ToB.**

 **Merlinius Ambrosius: Zestiria style malevolence? No, no, that is not right at all. Now I have to ask, did you play Xillia 2? Because the purple-aura, while it does look like malevolence was displayed in Zestiria, is actually the sign of a divergence catalyst from ToX2.**  
 **-I've read through the timeline but rather briefly**

 **Kamencolin: Thanks, I'll do that!**

 **nphillips0115: Don't worry, I'll definitely be continuing this story strong**

 **Ace101Mega: Ohhhh, so that's what you meant. It was weird reading it, because I remember you from my Xillia stories, so it'll be weird if you actually never played the games, haha.**  
 **-Ahhh, I see. Well the story does follow the ToB game to some degree with minor changes here and there so far.**

 **chronotimeguard: That is true. Even if the Xillia cast's goal is now the same with Velvet, Velvet would still want to be the one to eliminate Artorius. However Ludger needs to be the one to do it to destroy the divergence catalyst, and if the Berseria cast learns that destroying the catalyst means the destruction of their world, then that'd be against most of the Berseria's cast interest.**

 **Justin: Glad you liked it! And another Ludger x Velvet supporter here**

 **jamesb497: Well I'm putting more effort for this story while "The Path Forward" gets second attention. This is mostly due to "A Distant World" being more demanded so I'm just reacting to the reader's wants. And yup, no surprise about the Ludger x Velvet ship supporter here, lol**

 **Riku Uzumaki** **: Yup, there's more to it but it will be some time before that is revealed.**

 **Well that's it for responding to reviews. I hope you guys will enjoy this new chapter and do let me know your thoughts of the new chapter or how the story is coming along. Till next time!**

 **CHAPTER 11: OBJECTIVES**

Artorius Collbrande, the savior of the world, leader of the Abbey, and the man Velvet Crowe wanted dead, stood before Ludger Kresnik – and he's now also the divergence catalyst. This marked him as the target of Ludger, Jude and Milla.

It seems no one in the crowd noticed the purple aura around Artorius's chest, and it only lasted half a second. It was gone. Ludger found this odd since it should have stayed so long as Artorius, the catalyst, remained in close proximity but it had disappeared. But at least the message was clear to him and his friends that their objective was Artorius.

Artorius stopped walking the moment Ludger entered his path to return the ball to the little girl earlier. This caused the other high-ranking praetors behind Artorius to become curious as to what was the hold up. And unfortunately for the young Kresnik, amongst the curious praetors was Lady Teresa.

Teresa noticed there was someone standing in front of Artorius, which she assumed was probably just an excited person keen to see Artorius in the flesh. But then her eyes landed on the person's clothes, which she recognized. Her eyes wandered up until she stopped at Ludger's face, taking one whole second for her to process who she was staring at.

Then, it was over.

"You!" Teresa exclaimed, drawing out her weapon and stood between Ludger and Artorius,

Ludger quickly moved into a defensive stance but did not draw out his weapons. Even though it was pointless, he still wanted to act innocent.

Artorius took a precautious step back, "Teresa, what's wrong?"

"Lord Artorius, please be careful." Teresa warned, "This man in front of you, he… He's one of the culprits that torched Hellawes!"

That was it. Ludger's identity has been revealed and his cover blown. In the eyes of the Abbey, he was an enemy.

"…So this young man was the one that attacked Hellawes?" Artorius asked Teresa.

"That's right, Lord Artorius. He's alone now, but his companions must be somewhere in the capital. We should search for them and…"

"There's no need for that." Artorius interrupted and stepped forward, drawing out his sword in his left arm, "I will capture this one first. We can find his friends later."

Teresa was about to argue but decided against it. She didn't want to appear foolish to challenge the wisdom of the savior of the world.

When Artorius stepped up to personally apprehend the young Kresnik, Ludger knew his chances of escaping had slimmed. This was his first time seeing Artorius in the flesh but even he could tell he was a formidable foe. His aura and presence was simply that intimidating. Ludger drew out his dual blades, preparing for battle.

"Don't do anything foolish." Artorius said to the young Kresnik, "I will give you one chance – lay down your weapons and surrender."

Ludger already knew he had no chance of getting away. Artorius was one thing, but there were high-ranking praetors behind him as well. But being captured was the least of Ludger's concerns. He needed Jude and Milla to get away safely first. So while he was in a defensive stance and wielding his dual blades, he made a small subtle gesture without looking at Jude or Milla to not give away their position.

Jude noticed the gesture and understood.

"Milla, Ludger already knows he can't escape. We need to get away from here." Jude said to the Lord of Spirits.

"…It appears we have no choice." Milla replied. She always was more logical than emotional compared to Jude.

"Let's hurry."

While the crowd of people stayed to watch Artorius about to engage in battle, Jude and Milla slipped out of the crowd and hurried away, abandoning their friend. They finally found the divergence catalyst, but the price to be paid was Ludger's capture.

Once Ludger was certain Jude and Milla were gone and safe, he figured he could stall for some time. It was also an opportunity to check how skilled of a swordsman Artorius really was. So against his better judgment, he charged towards the savior of the world to engage him.

"Foolish." Artorius uttered under his breath.

The crowd shrieked in panic, backing away just as Ludger's dual blades clashed against Artorius's sword. The high-ranking praetors and even Melchior were about to participate in the fight when Artorius raised his left arm, meaning to not interfere. He wanted to capture his opponent without assistance.

Ludger continued being on the offensive, swinging his dual blades around, throwing out kicks and generally being mobile as he moved around while attacking. But the whole time, Artorius stood in one place, parrying, blocking and simply dodging all of Ludger's attacks with minimal effort. Ludger swung his dual blades in an arc this time, but again only met Artorius's sword. This time the Shepherd retaliated, smashing his sword hard against Ludger's weapons, causing the young Kresnik to lose his grip of his weapons. Ludger's dual blades clattered noisily across the floor.

"It's over." Artorius said simply.

"…Far from it!"

Before Artorius could react, Ludger quickly drew out his sledgehammer, surprising the Shepherd. The young Kresnik slammed his sledgehammer downwards, forcing the Shepherd a step back. Ludger did this to create a gap between the two to recover, but he underestimate Artorius as the Shepherd was suddenly in front of him. Artorius attacked which Ludger narrowly blocked it with the body of the sledgehammer. Before the Shepherd could attack, Ludger switched to his dual pistols.

" _Rolling Thunder!"_

Ludger tumbled to the side and fired two shots at Artorius. Although the Shepherd had never faced such a weapon, his quick reaction to danger allowed him to side-step and felt the bullets just graze past his hair.

Ludger switched back to his sledgehammer but he never got to use it. Artorius had enough of this pointless fight and suddenly dashed forward, appearing before the young Kresnik in the blink of an eye. Before Ludger could defend himself, Artorius smashed the hilt of his sword on Ludger's midsection. Ludger collapsed to his knees but without even a second to recover, Artorius then delivered a swift smack on the back of his head. Ludger fell down, unconscious.

"Bring him to the villa." Artorius instructed, "We'll interrogate him when he wakes up."

"At once, Lord Artorius!" Lady Teresa replied, and then passed Artorius's orders to two nearby Exorcist soldiers.

The Exorcist soldiers handcuffed Ludger's hands behind his back before carrying him towards the villa. The swift defeat of Ludger just proved to Teresa how powerful the Shepherd truly was. She and her brother both failed in capturing Ludger or any of his friends, but Artorius succeeded with only one attempt and did so under a minute.

With this, Ludger Kresnik had been captured by the Abbey and would be interrogated at the Loegress Villa. Jude and Milla both knew they would need to come up with a plan in order to rescue their friend.

XXXXXXX

Meanwhile with Velvet and the others, they were still inside the tavern and unaware about what just happened with Ludger. The tavern keeper returned to the counter with a bowl of Mabo curry, placing it on the bar for the young malak. Laphicet picked up a spoon and began eating.

While Laphicet asked, Velvet decided to ask the tavern keeper, "Say, do you know a man named Baskerville? I heard we might find him here."

"That old man? He was a scoundrel and criminal who went against the rules of the Abbey. They executed him some time ago."

"Oh…"

Velvet was rather disappointed to learn of that. The shadow guild that Eizen mentioned was led by Baskerville, but if he was executed, then they currently had no leads. This would make it harder for her to find an opening on Artorius.

Laphicet had already eaten half of the Mabo curry and turned to Velvet next to him, "Velvet! This Mabo curry is amazing! You should try some."

Velvet watched him gobbling down on the Mabo Curry and couldn't help but smile. He was energetic and because of his similar physical traits, he reminded her of her late brother. So to humor Laphicet, she took a spoon and tried a portion of the curry from his bowl.

Nothing. She tasted nothing. It was just like the time on the ship when they escaped Hellawes and she tried Ludger's cooking. She had forgotten about it. She lost her taste buds ever since becoming a daemon.

"Velvet, what's wrong?" Laphicet asked when he noticed Velvet didn't say anything.

"No, it's nothing. Don't worry about me."

The old woman that was tending to the tavern smiled at the interaction, "You get along so well. Is he your brother?"

Velvet hesitated before she answered, "…No."

"No, he wouldn't be, would he. After all, your brother was murdered before your very eyes."

Velvet sprung up from her seat, "How do you know that?!"

The old woman could only grin, amused at Velvet and her friends' reaction, "The shadows watch those who flinch from the light."

Eizen now knew what was going on and stepped up, "So the guild is still active, even after Baskerville's arrest?"

"That's right." The old woman answered with a nod, "Just like how Aifread's crew continues their piracy, even without their captain."

"So you're the contact?" Velvet asked.

"…What may I help you with?"

"I want to know what Artorius is planning."

The old woman couldn't help but smile, "It appears our information on you is accurate. You don't waste time. Unfortunately, information such as that… They don't come cheap."

"How much are we talking about?" Rokurou inquired from the back.

The old woman simply took out a piece of paper and placed it on the bar, "I have here a list of jobs, not one remotely legal. Take care of all of them, and I'll let you know what you want to know."

Velvet picked up the piece of paper and examined the list of jobs. There were three of them. The first was apparently to destroy some red crates at a warehouse in Port Zekson. The second job required the party to search for a missing man, which seemed simple enough. And the third was to apparently foil an ambush attempt.

"Have you decided?" The old woman inquired.

Velvet nodded, "We'll do it. We'll deal with destroying the red crates at Port Zekson first."

The old woman smiled and took out another piece of paper, handing it to Velvet, "Take this with you as documentation. It's fake but it's a good fake. With this, you'll be able to leave and enter the capital with no problems during inspection."

Velvet checked the fake document, "…It's registered to _'Magilou's Menagerie'_?"

"Oh? Was that not the name you gave to the guard at the gate?"

Velvet narrowed her eyes, "So you even knew about that. I can see you're a group to be reckoned with."

After that, the old woman faced the tavern keeper and gave a nod towards him. The tavern keeper understood and entered the back room of the tavern. A few seconds later, he reappeared with a pair of steel daggers. He approached Rokurou and handed him the daggers.

"Huh? What's this for?" Rokurou asked.

"Hm? I assume you will need weapons, since you are adamant about not using _Stormhowl_. Since you returned your friend's pair of blades, I figured you'd need your own set of daggers."

"…Wow, you guys really know your stuff." Rokurou said and then inspected the daggers, "It's just plain steel, but it is well-maintained. I can definitely use this. Thanks!"

The old woman nodded in response.

Eizen folded his arms on his chest, "The Captain's told me before that the guild's well-informed, but I wasn't expecting it to be at this extent. How much do you know about us?"

The old woman turned to Eizen, "Enough to know we can trust you, just like you can trust us. Of course, we are also aware of your three friends that are not here with you – the ones from another world."

Velvet, Eizen and Rokurou all glared at the old woman when she revealed she knew that Ludger, Jude and Milla were from another world. Laphicet wasn't paying much attention at the time. The reason why Velvet and the other two were surprised about this was the woman seemed not even fazed over knowing that there were people from another world.

"You know about them too?" Eizen questioned with wide open eyes.

Again, a smile grew across the old lady's face, "…That we do."

"…What do you know about them? Or their world? Have there been others before them? What else do you know?" Eizen asked with a sense of urgency.

"If you wish to have those questions answered, the same rules apply." The old woman answered, "You will have to complete jobs for us – and let me warn you, that the information about these people from the other world is much more expensive than what you want for the Shepherd."

Eizen didn't press for more after that. The old woman's reply told him one thing at least – that the shadow guild had the knowledge or has encountered people from another world before.

Once the old lady was sure Eizen was not going to press for more, she returned her attention to Velvet, "Report back here once you're finished with your assignment. However, be aware that should you fail…"

"…Then this conversation never took place." Velvet finished for the old lady, "Got it. I'll cause you no trouble."

"I appreciate your understanding. Since it will be dark soon, I advise that you begin your mission tomorrow. You're welcome to stay the night here, free of charge. Forget about work until the morning comes."

Velvet looked back and saw Eizen and Rokurou had taken a seat on a table with the tavern keeper serving them. She looked at Laphicet, who just finished his Mabo Curry and looked completely stuffed. Her companions were in no condition to begin on their task now.

Velvet accepted the old woman's proposal. They would spend the night here.

XXX

The night soon came and Velvet didn't wish to waste time lingering about, choosing to retire early and rest. The tavern keeper showed her to her room upstairs. Laphicet chose to also rest early and was given a separate room where he would share with Eizen and Rokurou. While Velvet and Laphicet slept early, Rokurou and Eizen were still awake and hung around the tavern's dining area.

At the current time, Rokurou was sitting behind a table and enjoying a small cup of sake. As for Eizen, he was at the bar speaking with the old woman, discussing about Aifread.

The old woman shook her head, "Unfortunate, but we haven't learned anything regarding the Captain's whereabouts. You know, he has done much toward our viability. That is why if we hear anything, I promise you that I will share anything about him for no charge."

"Thanks. All we know is there was a pendulum on the ground at the last place he was seen. Also, the legate Melchior is connected to the Captain's disappearance. How or why, we don't know."

The old woman appreciated the little bit of information Eizen provided. Aifread's first-mate ended their little talk there and joined Rokurou, taking a sit just opposite of the spiky-haired daemon. He placed a bottle of beer on the table, next to the jug of sake.

Rokurou refilled his small cup with more sake, "Sounds like you've got problems of your own. Do you really have time to take on ours as well?"

Eizen opened the bottle of beer and filled his cup, "I could ask you the same question. Why tie yourself up with Velvet?"

"Me? I've got a debt to pay. Well actually, my debt is to her and those three guys from the other world. Without them and Velvet, there's no way I'd have ever found my blade again."

"A daemon paying a debt? Ridiculous."

Rokurou smirked, "As ridiculous as a pirate malak, right?"

Eizen had nothing to retort so the two shared a short laugh. They both took a sip of their respective alcoholic drinks before continuing.

"So how do you plan to pay your debt to those three now that they've gone their own separate ways?" Eizen asked the spiky-haired daemon.

"…Truthfully, I don't know. But my family's always had this philosophy where we always pay our debt. So after I fulfilled my debt to Velvet, I'll find them and repay them too – until my debt has been repaid!"

"Even if it takes you years to do so?"

"Even that!"

"Even if they return to their world and you have no way to find them?" Eizen questioned.

Rokurou blinked and saw Eizen grinning. Rokurou took a gulp of his sake, "Ah, stop messing with me!"

The two shared another short laugh and each refilled the cup of the other, a sort of bonding moment between two males who enjoy a good drink.

It was Rokurou who finally raised the question, "…So, why do you think the guild doesn't seem too surprised that Ludger, Jude and Milla are from another world? They act like it's nothing new to them."

Eizen released a long sigh, "I don't know, but… I'm guessing that maybe Ludger, Jude and Milla aren't the first ones to enter our world."

"Huh? What are you saying?"

"It's just something I've been considering, but what if there have been others from Ludger's world that has come to this world before? Or maybe… Maybe they actually are from this world but from somewhere across the ocean."

Rokurou scratched his head, "You lost me. I mean, what makes you think they're from our world?"

Eizen didn't answer. The one fact that made him think Ludger, Jude and Milla were maybe from this world was when Jude mentioned that in his world, a legendary pirate named Aifread had hidden his treasures in arks across the land as a mark for adventurers. This matched the story that Aifread had told him before.

Apparently before Eizen joined the Aifread's pirate, the Captain had ventured far east into unknown lands and found treasures there. He later hid these treasures in arks, just as Jude described. So if the Aifread from Jude's world was in fact the very same Aifread, that would actually mean they were in the same world – just that both were in distant unknown lands.

Eizen shook his head and took a drink, "Never mind. Forget what I said. In the end, we're just shooting in the dark with no real answers. The guild seems to know something, but we can't get any answers unless we can pay the price."

"Well, they must know something if they staked the price to be higher than what Velvet wants for Artorius." Rokurou responded.

"Perhaps…"

Eizen didn't say anything more and the topic died there. The two respectively refilled their cup, this time Rokurou filling his with beer while Eizen with sake.

"You know, speaking of Artorius, I actually admire Velvet's courage." Rokurou admitted, "She's squaring off against the whole world on her own. Few can accomplish that. It takes strength. Real strength. And I'm curious where it comes from."

"So you're doing it more for yourself rather than just repaying your debt?"

"The debt is still why I follow her, but I also want to see where she goes from here. Is that so wrong?" Rokurou said and took a sip.

Eizen paused before he sighed, "No. I'm the same. I need allies on my side with the strength and courage to combat this so-called order imposed by the Abbey. But anyone who's willing to put up with the _'creed'_ folly of Aifread's pirates has to be an even bigger fool than we are." Eizen took a gulp from his cup and glared at Rokurou, "So I'm like you. I want to know how deep her foolishness goes."

"She'd kill you if she heard that, you know."

"It's a compliment. Fools that big aren't born every day."

"And I imagine your dear Captain Aifread's the same."

Eizen nodded as he refilled his cup, "Aye. That man flies his fool flag proudly."

Rokurou chuckled, "Come, drink up. We got a job to do tomorrow. We never know when we'll get the chance to relax."

"…Aye."

The two looked at each other and gulped their drinks respectively. They would spend their time drinking late into the night before retiring for the night.

XXXXXXXX

Meanwhile just outside the compound of the Loegress Villa, Jude and Milla were scouting the area. They had to avoid being detected by the guards, which was not too difficult for them thanks to their experience.

Jude and Milla at least knew that the Loegress Villa was the headquarters of the Abbey, which was where Ludger had been taken and held captive. Their plan was to strike the villa tomorrow. Tonight was just a reconnaissance mission; to understand the surroundings of the villa, plan their method of entry and learn whatever was necessary to ensure that rescuing Ludger and escaping would be a success. After all, unlike the time at Hellawes, it would only be just Jude, Milla and her Great Four spirits.

Jude and Milla skipped past a patrolling guard and hid behind a pillar.

"So what now?" Jude inquired, "I think I've got a good grasp of the area, but this only covers the outside. But what do we do about the inside?"

"Don't worry. I have that covered." Milla said.

Milla summoned the physical forms of the four Great Spirits to her side. Once all four manifested their physical forms, they nodded at Milla before departing towards the villa.

"Hey, is it safe to just send them in? What if they get caught?" Jude asked.

"They'll be fine. If they're in any danger, I can simply summon them back to my side. Right now, using the Great Four is the safest option for us to grasp an idea of the interior."

Jude didn't argue with that and placed his faith in that Milla knew what she was doing. Besides, Jude noticed that even though this was the headquarters of the Abbey, the number of guards and Exorcist soldiers patrolling the area were fairly low. Jude guessed this was because they were in Loegress, the capital of the Midgand Empire and the stronghold of the Exorcists. The Abbey probably assumed no daemon would be able to penetrate deep within the fortress of the Abbey.

After several minutes with no incidents, the Great Four returned to Milla's side and dispelled their physical form, returning within Milla as their vessel.

"Okay, we got what we came for." Milla said, "Let's find an inn to spend the night at. We can discuss then how we will rescue Ludger tomorrow."

Jude nodded, "Right. I think I saw an inn near the gates. Let's go."

Jude and Milla entered the main district of Loegress, which was now relatively empty save for the occasional patrolling city guard or a random person enjoying a night stroll. The pair could say that their mission to scout the headquarters of the Abbey was a success. Tomorrow they will strike the villa to rescue Ludger.

Elsewhere on the rooftops not too far from Jude and Milla, Magilou had been watching them for a while now. She was also aware that Ludger had been captured by the Abbey and concluded that Jude and Milla were probably planning on rescuing him.

"Looks like those two are going to actually go through with their plan to strike at the core of the Abbey." Magilou said to herself with an amused grin, "That's going to be interesting to see. I'm actually curious how that's going to turn out."

Magilou saw Jude and Milla have found an inn and entered its establishment. She then looked at the direction of the tavern where Velvet and her group were spending the night.

"But then again, the ice-queen Velvet and her group have its appeal as well. I wonder just how deeply the fangs of our would-be tragic heroine would scar this broken world of ours." Magilou then gazed at the Loegress Villa, "On the other hand, we also have mister Kresnik over there. I'm still curious to see if the Kresnik mentioned in _that_ book refers to Ludger or something. It's definitely worth investigating."

A cool, night breeze blew against the self-proclaimed witch. She was deciding whether to stalk Velvet tomorrow or Jude and Milla.

"…I've still got a traitor to find, but in the meantime, I think I'll stick around to watch their little rescue attempt tomorrow. It should be a good show."

It was decided then that she would watch Jude and Milla striking the Loegress Villa tomorrow. She giggled mischievously before disappearing into the night.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next morning, Velvet and her companions awoke early to begin their mission. The tavern keeper and the old woman were already up and tending to their patrons. Since there were customers present, the old woman did not say anything to Velvet or Eizen to avoid unnecessary suspicions. They exited the tavern.

Once outside the tavern, Rokurou said, "A kind face for such a hard woman. Kinda scary really."

Velvet agreed, "She knew about me and our cover as well as the incident at the gate. She knows about the most recent events and things that happened a long time ago. She's got ears everywhere."

"And that's not all." Eizen added, "The travel documents she gave you and called fake, they're not. They're genuine."

Rokurou didn't know that, "Wow. So that means she's got spies working on the inside too."

"Also don't forget that she doesn't seem fazed that Ludger, Jude and Milla are from another world." Velvet pointed out, "This guild knows more than they let on."

"Not to mention they've lost their leader, but remain unconquered. Not an organization to trifle with." Rokurou said.

"That's how they have to be to take on the Abbey. We'd better succeed on our missions, and not just to get the information we need."

"Hm? Are you interested in paying the price for the information about those three?" Eizen asked, meaning about Ludger, Jude and Milla.

"That's right. It's not my main priority, but learning what the guild knows about the ' _other world'_ might be helpful."

Rokurou grinned, "Yeah, we can do that if it means getting another of those drinks."

Eizen turned to the spiky-haired daemon, "I see you're a man of culture and taste. That place always has the best."

"I thought that was your first time at the tavern?" Velvet asked Eizen.

"It was, but the Captain's been there before and he normally brings back some of their drinks as souvenirs."

Laphicet was about to say something but the sound of his stomach grumbling came first. He blushed in embarrassment.

Rokurou grinned, "Looks like someone enjoyed their food too."

"You'd better work hard too, if you want more Mabo curry." Velvet said to the young malak.

"I will!" Laphicet said enthusiastically.

"Come on, let's head to the main gates. We have to get to Port Zekson." Eizen urged the group.

Eizen led the way and the small group moved towards the entrance of the capital. During the walk to their destination, they could hear the people talking about the ceremony yesterday when Artorius received the new title of Shepherd. The majority were just praising Prince Percival's speech and how he was stepping aside to grant Lord Artorius full authority and power for the Midgand Empire.

When the small party finally reached the gates, Rokurou addressed the group, "So remind me again what we are supposed to do?"

"Destroy red crates in a warehouse at Port Zekson." Velvet answered.

"Destroying red crates in a warehouse? Doesn't sound very nice."

"Have we ever been nice?"

Rokurou chuckled, "Heh, I suppose not."

"This is a contract job, so let's keep the costs down." Eizen said, "I'll call the Van Eltia and have her draw the guards away. That'll make our jobs much easier."

"What will we be destroying inside the crates though?" Laphicet asked.

Velvet shrugged, "Who knows? That's hardly our concern."

"Okay, we're leaving through the gates. Let's hurry." Eizen addressed the three of them.

Rokurou took out his brand new dual daggers, "Can't wait to have a run with these babies. I'm getting excited!"

Eizen was the one leading the group as they exited the main gates of Loegress.

 **Skit: The Other Objective  
Present: Velvet, Rokurou, Eizen & Laphicet**

 **Rokurou: So we're off to destroy some red crates. *Sigh* I don't know why, but it makes us feel like we're just a bunch of hooligans.**

 **Velvet: It's what the job wants. I don't care what it is, so long as I get the information I need to strike Artorius.**

 **Laphicet: …I wonder what Ludger and his friends are doing.**

 **Rokurou: Hey, that's right. We never did ask what they're after. I mean, our goals must be totally different if they need to separate with us.**

 **Velvet: They told me they're looking for a divergence catalyst.**

 **Rokurou: Hm? What's that?**

 **Velvet: Beats me.**

 **Rokurou: Eizen, any idea?**

 **Eizen: … *Thinking hard* Never heard of it. You sure that's what they're after?**

 **Velvet: Positive.**

 **Laphicet: Well, they're from another world, so maybe what they're looking for is something that's related to their world but somehow ended up here?**

 **Velvet: I guess that might make sense.**

 **Eizen: …A divergence catalyst. Hmm…**

XXXXXXXXXX

Outside the Loegress Villa, Oscar Dragonia and Eleanor Hume had just arrived at the capital not more than ten minutes ago. The two of them had arrived at Port Zekson at the same time and since both had business at headquarters, decided to travel together. Now they had reached their destination.

Since Oscar was a well-known praetor, the moment the Exorcists guarding around the villa saw him, they stopped to salute him. Oscar was humble of course and returned the salute before continuing his walk towards the villa. When the pair entered the main entrance, there was already someone waiting for him.

"Brother!" Teresa cried out, running up to him and giving him a tight hug, "Oh brother! I've been worried sick! I'm relieved to see you're safe."

"S-Sister!" Oscar saw some of the Exorcists inside the villa were staring at them. Eleanor was watching as well and quickly looked away. "Sister, please. Everyone's staring."

Teresa listened to her brother's pleas and released her hold on him rather reluctantly. "I'm sorry, but last I saw you, you were onboard the ship with those monsters that torched Hellawes. I… I've been so worried for you."

Oscar smiled and caressed the back of his hand on his sister's cheek, "I know. I apologize for worrying you, but I was fortunate enough to escape their clutches."

"I heard you were on the way from Vortigern yesterday, but why were you so late? You didn't even make it to the ceremony."

"The daemons and criminals that escaped us at Hellawes worked together with Aifread's pirates. I escaped from them and tried to stop them from passing through Vortigern, but… I failed. I failed even though I knew of their plan. I even called for the royal navy, but still… I… I won't make any excuses. I failed three times capturing them. I wasted the time and resources of the royal navy. That's why I will accept whatever punishment that awaits me."

"But why did it take you so long to arrive? It shouldn't take you more than a few hours to reach Port Zekson from Vortigern."

"Oh. Well, the royal navy was kind enough to bring me to Port Zekson, but after wasting their time they prioritized attending to what they needed to do first before dropping me off."

"I see. Oh brother, you've gone through so much, but I'm just glad to see you're safe." Teresa said with a warm smile. She then turned to the woman next to him, "Eleanor. How come you were with my brother?"

"Oh. As you know, I stayed at Hellawes to help with the repairs after you left." Eleanor explained, "After I've did what I could, I left and arrived at Port Zekson the same time as your brother. We just met there and decided to travel together."

Teresa honestly didn't enjoy the idea of her brother being close to Eleanor. She never had a great opinion on the red-haired praetor Exorcist but chose not to say anything for now.

Teresa then changed the topic, "You two didn't make it for the ceremony, but it's fine. Lord Artorius would like your report about the incident at Hellawes. Also brother, Lord Artorius requested your assistance with interrogating one of the fugitives."

Oscar blinked in confusion, "Sister, what do you mean?"

Now Teresa smiled, "We captured one of them from Hellawes – the one that was capable of using three different weapons and a transformation ability."

Oscar's eyes widened as he knew who it was. Ludger Kresnik. He had fought him at the prison island and at Hellawes. Eleanor didn't know who it was since she only briefly saw Ludger once.

"Sister, hurry and show me where he is. I will tell whatever Lord Artorius wants of that scum!" Oscar said.

Teresa nodded and quickly moved towards the east wing of the villa with Oscar and Eleanor following her. It didn't take long before they arrived at a door with two Exorcist soldiers guarding at the entrance. Since Teresa, Oscar and Eleanor were high-ranking praetors, the guards allowed them to enter without questions asked.

Once inside the interrogation room, Oscar saw there in the center of the room was the person he had tried to capture – Ludger Kresnik. He had his hands tied behind his back and was strapped to the chair. He appears to be unconscious at the moment.

There were at least three Exorcist guards inside the room watching the prisoner. Also present was the legate Melchior, and the leader of the Abbey whom was dubbed as the Shepherd, Lord Artorius.

Artorius turned to the three newcomers and his eyes landed on Oscar, "Oscar, you're here. Excellent. I've been waiting for you."

Oscar stood at attention, "Lord Artorius, I… I apologize for my failures. I will accept whatever punishments you hand to me."

There was a short moment of silence. Oscar waited patiently as Artorius just stared at the young praetor, as if judging what manner of penalty he would give Oscar.

Finally Artorius spoke, "Your report and your punishment can wait. For now, I need something else of you."

"S-Sir?"

Artorius stood in front of the unconscious Kresnik and said, "According to your sister, you first encountered this young man at the prison island, who escaped with a few others. So far, he's refused to tell us who he is and his intentions. Oscar, what do you know of our prisoner?"

"W-With all due respect, Lord Artorius, my sister has also encountered him before. She could have told you as much as I could, and…"

"Your sister lacks the information I need." Artorius interrupted, "She told us you fought him at the Prison Island and Hellawes. And I believe you also tried to stop them at Vortigern. You are the one with the most knowledge of what I want to know."

Oscar understood and cleared his throat, "I… I don't know what his objectives are, but he did escape from the prison island with around five others. Lord Artorius, I know this sounds hard to believe, but your malak, Seres, assisted them in their escape."

Artorius continued to stare at Oscar, his expression never changing.

"Continue." Was all Artorius said.

"Oh, I, uh… Y-Yes, well…" Oscar stumbled on his words. He wasn't expecting Artorius to not react to the fact that his previous malak, Seres, had helped. So the young praetor continued, "He, uh… He is well-trained with using three weapons in battle. Dual blades, a sledgehammer and a set of foreign dual weapons."

"And you said he escaped with five others from the prison island?"

"Yes, Lord Artorius. One was a human who uses his fists for battle, another was a woman who possesses control of four malakhim, your former malak Seres and a daemon with long, black hair who has the ability to transform her left arm into a demonic form."

Artorius instantly knew who it was from Oscar's description. Velvet Crowe. When he received the report that the Aifread pirate alongside a small group of fugitives had managed to not only slip through Vortigern but disable the fortress, he had a feeling it would be his sister-in law. Oscar merely confirmed his suspicions.

"Do you know his name?" Artorius asked Oscar.

"N-No, Lord Artorius."

"I see..." Artorius said and stayed silent for a few seconds. Then he said, "Oscar, Eleanor, I have an assignment for you."

Oscar and Eleanor immediately stood at attention.

"I know you two must be tired, but I want the two of you to get to Port Zekson." Artorius ordered, "Now that we have captured of them, they will take two courses of action. They will either cut their losses and escape, or try and rescue their companion. Get to Port Zekson and if you find his comrades there, prevent their escape. I will send out orders to have the capital on high-alert and send reinforcements to Port Zekson."

"Yes, Lord Artorius!" Oscar exclaimed.

"At once, Lord Artorius!" Eleanor said.

Oscar and Eleanor left the interrogation room to depart for Port Zekson. They were a little bit tired since they just arrived after their long journey, but to them it was an honor to receive a direct order from Artorius himself.

"Teresa, I'd like you to stay around the villa." Artorius said to Teresa, "We don't know where his companions are. If they try to rescue him, we will be here to stop him."

"I won't fail you, Lord Artorius!" Teresa exclaimed before also leaving the interrogation room.

Now the interrogation room was only left with Artorius, Melchior, Ludger and the three Exorcist guards stationed here to keep an eye on the young Kresnik. Melchior had not said a word since and just watched in silence as he had little interest in their young prisoner. Artorius returned his attention back to the unconscious Ludger.

"You're awake, aren't you?" Artorius asked rhetorically.

Ludger had been awake since Oscar and Eleanor entered the room earlier but acted unconscious. But since Artorius knew, there was no point keeping the act. He opened his eyes and looked up at the Shepherd.

"If you heard everything, then you should know that your companions won't be escaping from us – nor will they save you."

"…What do you want?" Ludger asked.

"You can make it easier on your friends if you cooperate with us." Artorius said, "To start with, how about you tell us your name? It will make our conversations much easier between us."

Ludger didn't answer for a while, but Artorius just continued to stare at him, as if looking right through his soul. So finally Ludger relented and answered the Shepherd's question.

"…Ludger. My name's Ludger. Ludger Will Kresnik."

Artorius took a deep breath, "Ludger… I see. This is a start. So then, Ludger, what…"

Artorius stopped talking when he noticed some movement on the corner of his eye. He turned to his right and saw Melchior taking one, then two and finally three steps back. The normally emotionless and calm legate with a look of shock. Melchior's eye was wide-open and panting heavily.

"Kresnik… Kresnik…" Melchior muttered softly, "It can't be… It can't be the same Kresniks mentioned before…"

This was the first time for Artorius to see the legate Melchior so shaken up.

 **CHAPTER END**


	12. CHAPTER 12: RETALIATION

**A/N: Hey guys, I bring to you all the new update for this story! Nothing else to report, so let's get to responding to reviews.**

 **Merlinius Ambrosius: Oh I never doubted that the timeline is genuine, I just haven't really fully grasped it yet was all I'm saying, hehe**  
 **-Ah my bad. It was rude of me to assume, but it's just that I thought I made it clear that the purple aura the ToX trio saw was a catalyst and not malevolence. But of course, Zestiria also did it like that and I blame it on my poor grammar usage.**  
 **-Again, you're right that Seraphim are not spirits but in my desperate attempt to try and connect the two worlds, some things might just break from the original lore. I guess it's almost close to an AU at this point?**  
 **-Melchior and Magilou knowledge of the Kresnik will be explored in later chapters. Hopefully what I have planned will justify somewhat the link between the two worlds**

 **Tony Anderson: It just keeps the chapter interesting I guess, hehe**

 **Roxas Blaze: I just wanted to have a reason to write Melchior losing his calm demeanour, and the link to the Kresnik was how I did it. And about how he and Magilou knows about the Kresnik, that's going to be explored in later chapters, as usual**  
 **-My reasoning was that Ludger knew he was going to lose regardless and decided to keep the Chromatus powers hidden so that at least Artorius doesn't experience it yet. It's Ludger's trump card after all. Being told about Power A doesn't mean someone can fully understand Power A until they experience it, you know? That sort of thing.**  
 **-I know. The coo coo scene is really a gem and while I missed the chance, it can still be explored if it's ever brought up. About Elle, I really would like to bring her in after reading you describe what could happen, but I can't figure out any reason to bring her in without breaking the story.**  
 **-I'm honestly surprised to see so many Ludger x Velvet ship supporters. I have nothing against it, I'm just genuinely surprised to see so many readers calling out for it that I just have to do it. And it doesn't ruin my original story. Matter of fact, this just means more content as I will need to slowly build their relationship.**  
 **-About your theory and thinking it will end up bad, it's nothign liek that. I can assure you they won't face each other (or at least not in the sense where they end up as enemies where they have to kill the other). What I mean by you readers might not liking it is that I feel my attempt at connecting the ToX and ToB world won't be the best of reasons and I'm sure there will be plot holes, so while I will still try my best, I feel it won't be received well. But I'm still going to do it.**

 **ElementalSoldier9819: Yup, Eleanor and Oscar will have a small encoutner at Port Zekson.**  
 **-You'll see what happens in this chapter when Jude and Milla infiltrate the villa.**

 **Gravenimage: Hope you will enjoy this chapter then!**

 **chronotimeguard: I'm definitely going for the angle where their worlds are linked. But with what I have planned, there might be some plotholes, so I'm trying to cover what I can**

 **pensuka: Yup. I really enjoyed writing and imagining Melchior acting so frightened.**

 **AnimeWolfGirl16: Well unfortunately the explanation about the Kresnik in ToB world won't be covered until future chapters**

 **version15: Thanks! It's an honour for me that this is your current favourite story at the moment! I hope I can continue to live up to your expectations!**

 **RSBCS: Thanks! You also helped with your editing to polish the chapter, so credit goes to you too!  
-No problem. After all, after your edits, I still tend to just do minor little tweaks and add just a little bit more. So to read what you have to say again is more than welcome. **  
**-Again, the Melchior knowing about the Kresniks will be covered later on.**

 **Guest: Woooo! Everyone has hell to pay!**

 **Riku Uzumaki: Well not that they did something big, but more of what Melchior learned of the Kresnik clan, huehue**

 **RedRat8: The Kresniks impact in the world is rather minor, but it's because Melchior knows something about them that makes it troubling. That will be revealed in later chapters**

 **Guest: Interesting analysis. While you're close to the mark, it's not exactly accurate either. But regardless, you at least have some idea of what might be revealed. Either ways, the Kresnik plays only a minor role. The connection between ToB and ToX worlds will be elaborated in later chapters. But your comment on Aifread was rather spot on.**

 **Well that's it for responding to reviews. I hope you guys will enjoy this new chapter and do let me know your thoughts of the new chapter or how the story is coming along. Till next time!**

 **CHAPTER 12: RETALIATION**

"Kresnik… If he's a Kresnik, then it's actually true…?" Melchior repeatedly muttered.

Ludger of course had no idea why Melchior looked like he had seen a ghost, but this bothered Artorius. The legate Melchior had always been a man of reason and logic, always calm, confident and rarely displayed a hint of an emotion on him. Yet this was the first time Melchior displayed a look of fear in his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Artorius asked the older legate.

Melchior got back on his feet and slowly made his way for the exit, "I… I... I need to return to my chambers. You… You stay here and continue with the interrogations. There is a book I must find – A book that will hopefully make some sense of this."

"…Kresnik. Is there something I should know about this?" Artorius asked.

Melchior stopped at the door and said, "When I learn what I need to, I will tell you."

The older legate opened the door and exited the interrogation room. Artorius remained with three other Exorcist soldiers.

The Shepherd shifted his focus back to his prisoner, "…Ludger Will Kresnik. Kresnik… Why does the name _'Kresnik'_ appear to hold some significance?"

Ludger stayed silent for a while and Artorius just glared at the young Kresnik. He didn't repeat his question and it looked like he could wait forever. In the end, Ludger relented.

"I don't know. Your guess is as good as mine." Ludger finally answered. It was the truth. He really didn't understand why the older legate was so frightened. There was no way this world had any connections to the Kresnik clan.

Artorius could see Ludger was being honest at least. From the beginning, he sensed Ludger was different but he couldn't tell what it was. Unknown to him yet was the fact that Ludger was from another world.

After that, Artorius didn't press for answers. His best choice right now was to wait until the legate Melchior returned. Ludger remained strapped to the chair in silence.

XXXXXXXXXX

Just outside the Loegress Villa, Oscar Dragonia and Eleanor Hume had just departed and were making their way to the main gates of Loegress. The pair had just been personally assigned by Lord Artorius to go to Port Zekson and check if Ludger's companions were there. If they were, their orders were to prevent them from escaping.

Oscar approached an Exorcist captain and requested at least fifteen Exorcists to meet with them for a mission, emphasizing that these soldiers of the Abbey should be skilled in battle. The Exorcist captain saluted Oscar before hurrying off to accomplish the praetor's request.

To avoid any awkward silence, Eleanor turned Oscar and started conversation, "Oscar, I heard you were the first to have encountered that… daemon and the fugitives at the prison island. Is that true?"

"Yes, that's correct." Oscar replied, "I won't make any excuses. I underestimated them, and as the one in charge of the island, it was entirely my fault. It's because of my lack of experience and skills that they escaped."

"T-That's not true at all. Your sister and I tried to stop them at Hellawes, but they were too strong. You were alone at the prison. No one would have blamed you for their escape."

"It was still my responsibility." Oscar insisted, "Not to mention I failed to stop them three times – while Lord Artorius only needed one try to capture one of them."

"Yes, but… He's Lord Artorius. He's the Shepherd, savior of the world. Anything we do will pale in comparison to him."

Oscar chose not to say anything more. Of course he knew that comparing himself to Artorius was foolish. Artorius was a rare gift to the world, a one in a million. Even if Oscar was considered a talented praetor with a bright future, Artorius would probably have achieved much more when he was at the age Oscar was at now. The difference between him and the Shepherd was a huge gap.

A short while later, the Exorcist captain returned with the fifteen Exorcist soldiers that he believed would match Oscar's expectations. Oscar briefed the Exorcist soldiers about their mission at Port Zekson. After that, they departed for the main gates from the Loegress Villa's compound. Oscar led the platoon.

The squad of Exorcist soldiers along with Oscar and Eleanor were at the market district when one of Eleanor's malakhim manifested its physical form. It was a Normin. Its body was a combination of purple and white fur-type layers and a tail where its end was shaped like a spade. The Normin malakhim also wears a purple hat and cut eye-holes where his eyes can see through.

"Madam Eleanor, you only just arrived today. You must be exhausted! You shouldn't force yourself!" The purple Normin said in a rather high-pitched, croaked voice. It was standing on Eleanor's shoulder.

Eleanor smiled, "It's fine, Bienfu. Thank you for your your concern, but it's my duty. Besides, this is a mission Lord Artorius himself has entrusted us with. As Exorcists of the Abbey, it's our duty because we are the only ones that can stand against the daemons!"

"…Madam Eleanor… If that's the case, then I will protect you, Madam Eleanor!"

"Right. I'm counting you."

Bienfu laughed before dispelled his physical form, returning to rest within his host. While their little conversation was just under a minute, the short exchange was witnessed by a certain self-proclaimed witch from the rooftops.

Magilou clenched her fist in excitement, her eyes following Eleanor, "Ooooh… I've found you at last, you little traitor. So looks like you're now working with that Exorcist at Hellawes, eh?"

Magilou quickly found a way down from the rooftops and after that hurried towards the main gates. When she spotted Oscar and Eleanor along with the small platoon of Exorcist soldiers, she ultimately decided to tail them from the distance.

"I wanted to stay and watch Jude and Milla's little rescue attempt but now that I've found my target, looks like I'm going to have to follow them." Magilou said to herself, "Just you wait Bienfu, you rascal of a traitor you."

Magilou made sure to keep a safe distance between her and the Exorcists. A few minutes later, the platoon of Exorcists walked out of the main gates and hurried towards Port Zekson, with the self-proclaimed witch following from a distance.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Meanwhile for Velvet and her party, they left Loegress an hour ago and were halfway through the Danann Highway. When they departed the capital, an agent of the shadow guild posing as a merchant proposed to them about taking down code red daemons should they ever encounter one. While Velvet wasn't exactly interested, Rokurou and Eizen planted the idea that defeating these code red daemons, which only powerful members of the Abbey could accomplish, would inadvertently be useful for Velvet's mission. In the end, Velvet promised the shadow guild she would consider it.

After that, the party hadn't really conversed with each other in the journey and the silence was boring the spiky-haired Rangetsu daemon. Deciding to have a little fun, he approached the young malak.

"Hey, Laphicet." Rokurou called out.

Laphicet turned around, "What is it, Rokurou?"

"…Mabo Curry."

Laphicet cocked his head to the side, confused. Before he knew it, his stomach reacted to the word _'Mabo Curry'_ and growled loudly. The young malak blushed, embarrassed he couldn't control his urges.

Rokurou laughed, "Man, you're an interesting one! So you like Mabo Curry that much, eh?"

Laphicet nodded, "It smells good, and creamy and kind of spicy too. It was really nice."

"Yeah, you definitely love it. Makes me wonder if all malakhim have such an appetite."

"Each has their own tastes." Eizen said, butting into the conversation, "There are some who eat a lot, some eat a little. We all have our own little quirks – just like humans and daemons."

"Now that I know I love the taste of Mabo Curry, I wish I got to try Ludger's cooking on that ship last time." Laphicet said.

"Oh that's right, that time you stayed on deck while we went down to eat." Rokurou said, "It can't be helped, I guess. You didn't know much about being free at the time. It's a shame though. Ludger's tomato omelette was great, and he actually cooked Mabo Curry too!"

Laphicet's eyes widened, "Ludger can cook Mabo Curry?"

"Looks like it. It was pretty good too, if I recall correctly. I just mostly wanted a drink, but yeah, think the food he made was quite good."

"So Ludger cooks, huh?" Eizen said in amusement, "I didn't see him as such a guy. Guess you really can't judge a person by how they look."

"Huh? Is it bad that he can cook?" Laphicet asked Eizen.

"I didn't mean it that way. I'm just saying Ludger didn't look like the kind of person who could cook. There's nothing wrong with that."

"Can you cook, Eizen?"

"Well, I know enough that I won't starve."

"So what do you like to eat?"

Eizen thought about that, "Well I don't really have a favorite, but if it's something I like… It's drinks, I suppose."

"What else?"

"Uh… Pretty much just drinks."

Laphicet cocked his head to the side, "Don't you like anything else?"

"Is it a problem if I don't?"

"N-No… I'm just wondering."

Rokurou chuckled, "For me, it's drinks _and_ candied sweet potatoes. Don't think anything else can compare to that, at least for me."

Eizen raised an eyebrow, "So you like to drink, but you've also got a sweet tooth?"

"Yeah. What? Is that so strange?"

"No. Just surprised, is all." Eizen replied.

"Candied sweet potatoes… That sounds really good." Laphicet said with a smile. At the thought of the sweet potatoes, his stomach growled again, much louder than the previous one. "…Ah."

Velvet saw the young malak looked embarrassed about his growling stomach and assured him, "There's nothing to be ashamed of. It's just another sign that you're alive."

"Oh… R-Right."

Both Rokurou and Eizen were pleased to see Laphicet beginning to get accustomed with interacting with the party and living his life. He still asked some rather basic questions, but this was important for him to grow.

Another ten minutes passed with the party walking through the Danann Highway before they finally arrived at Port Zekson. Thanks to the travel documents provided by the shadow guild, the guards allowed the party to enter.

Once inside the port town, Rokurou asked the group, "So any idea where to find this warehouse containing the red crates?"

"The warehouses should be close to the harbor, so we'll search there. While we're at it, we should ask around for information."

"Information about what?" Velvet asked the first-mate.

"Anything as long as it's useful. Every little bit helps - their opinion on the Abbey, their thoughts about current events or just plain gossip. It doesn't hurt to have an idea about what the people have to say."

Velvet couldn't disagree with Eizen's reasoning and chose to follow his lead. After all, he was the first-mate of a well-known pirate, surely he knew what he was doing. So while the party searched for the warehouse, they also spoke with the local populace. Most of them have just heard about Artorius being given the new title as Shepherd and talked about that, praising the savior of the world and how the Shepherd was driving them to a new era of peace.

When Velvet and company approached a young fisherman, it was then that Eizen's advice finally paid off.

"Have you heard?" The fisherman said to the party, "Apparently the Abbey is building a new base. From what I heard, it's a huge temple in the middle of some mountains, near a site of ancient ruins."

"A temple as a new base?" Velvet questioned.

"That's right. I can't believe they have the audacity to be focusing their efforts on a new base!"

"You don't agree with the Abbey?" Eizen asked.

"W-Well, it's not that I hate them or anything, but if they've got time to build a temple, they should use it to kill more daemons instead!"

"…You're rather brave talking like that." Velvet said.

The young fisherman snorted, "I'm different from the common folk who swoon at anything the Shepherd says or do while ignoring reality! No one's found a way to cure daemonblight yet, and daemons are still swarming everywhere. I mean, sure, maybe things are not as bad as they could've been thanks to Lord Artorius, but we still have no idea what's going to happen next. Should the Abbey really be wasting time building a temple?!"

"You're thinking ahead." Rokurou said.

"I am. Just think about it! Daemons could be infiltrating the city as we speak, and we'd be none the wiser!"

"…Yeah. You're completely right." Velvet said. She had to force herself from smiling. The young fisherman might be seen by others as paranoid when he was correct. Daemons have already infiltrated the port.

The party walked away from the young man until they were out of earshot.

"Oh man, if that guy only knew he was speaking to a daemon." Rokurou said with a laugh.

Eizen noticed Velvet was deep in thought, "Velvet, something on your mind?"

Velvet bit her finger, "…I'm just curious about this new base he mentioned that the Abbey is building a temple. What's the point? Why do they need a new base now? Artorius isn't the kind of man to do pointless things. There must be a reason for that temple."

Eizen folded his arms across his chest, "Hmm… Even if there's an ulterior motive for constructing their new base, we don't know anything more than that. If we want to find out more, we should ask the guild later after we complete our jobs."

"But doesn't that mean we have to do more jobs for them?" Laphicet asked.

"Not necessarily. Velvet's request was to find out whatever Artorius was planning. If anything, I think by the time we're done with our jobs, they should have some information about the temple."

"That's what I'm hoping for." Velvet said, "Now let's go. We still have to find the warehouse."

The party continued their search, moving towards the end of the harbor where the warehouses were located. As the party passed by the harbor where the Van Eltia was anchored last time, they found it missing. This was according to Eizen's orders, who instructed them to lure the guards away.

Velvet and her companions then found the warehouse they were looking for. There were no guards visible.

"Alright, looks like there's no sign of guards. Let's move in!" Velvet urged the group.

"Benwick and the crew did a fine job of clearing the way for us." Eizen remarked.

Once inside the warehouse, there were a number of boxes, cargo and sacks containing materials stowed in the warehouse. But on the far left were several boxes of red crates occupying the area, all stacked amongst each other. They have found their target.

"Red crates. These must be our targets." Velvet said and checked the boxes. There was a symbol on all of the red crates, which she recognized, "…The seal of Midgand Cathedral?"

"Should we look inside?" Eizen inquired.

"There's no need. We'll just do what we came for." Velvet answered and turned to the young malak, "Laphicet, burn them."

"Make sure to just cast a small fire arte though." Rokurou added in, "We don't want to burn the place while we're still nearby. We need a small window of time to get out of the area before the guards come."

Laphicet nodded, "O-Okay."

Laphicet created a channel circle around him and began channeling his fire arte. After several seconds, he threw his arms forward and two of the red crates burst into flame. The fire was small but it slowly spread to the other boxes. Thick black smoke slowly filled the warehouse. Velvet and the crew have completed their first task.

"We're done here. Let's go." Velvet said.

Velvet turned around and took one step towards the exit when Eizen threw his arm in front of her, blocking her path.

"Stop."

"What're you doing?" Velvet demanded from the first-mate pirate.

"Ready your weapons." Eizen ordered the party, "I heard something outside. I think we might be expecting company."

Eizen knew he didn't mishear it. There was the sound of several footsteps just outside the warehouse, but they stopped. He didn't know how, but he guessed that the guards must have somehow caught wind of their operation and surrounded the warehouse.

Velvet, Rokurou and Laphicet didn't question Eizen's words and drew out their respective weapons, preparing for battle. They waited for Eizen's instructions.

"Let's head out." Eizen said. The others nodded and followed him.

Eizen was right. Once outside the warehouse, they were indeed surrounded not by regular soldiers – but Exorcists of the Abbey. Eizen surveyed his surrounding and found that none of the city guards were amongst the fifteen Exorcist soldiers that awaited them.

"Looks like you were right." Rokurou said to Eizen, "I assume this is just another day with your Reaper's curse, eh?"

Eizen smirked, "Seems that way."

The fifteen Exorcist soldiers stepped aside, allowing two individuals to step forward. The two leaders of this operation, which Velvet, Rokurou and Laphicet instant recognized – Oscar Dragonia and the red-haired praetor called Eleanor.

"You're really persistent." Velvet said to Oscar.

Eleanor revealed her spear and pointed it at her enemies, "We won't allow you to escape this time, daemon!"

Velvet turned to Eleanor and raised her eyebrows, "Oh, you. The crybaby."

Eleanor blushed and stomped the ground, "S-Stop calling me that!"

"Crybaby?" Oscar repeated, turning to Eleanor, "What's she talking about?"

"It's nothing! Nothing important!"

Oscar slowly nodded his head, confused and returned his attention to Velvet's group, "I believe this marks the fourth time we meet again."

"I should have killed you back at Vortigern." Velvet snarled and moved into an aggressive stance, "This is the last time you'll interfere!"

Oscar unsheathed his sword, glaring at Velvet, "Don't be so sure of yourself, daemon. We've already captured one of your friends, the one who transforms like you."

Velvet's eyes widened once she realized who it could mean, "…Ludger?"

"The Abbey managed to capture him?" Eizen wondered aloud.

Rokurou's expression turned serious, "…How did he get caught? Is Jude and Milla okay?"

"Ludger…" Laphicet muttered, worried for the young Kresnik's well-being.

Velvet growled and pointed her blade at the young praetor, "You're lying! There's no way you could have captured him!"

"…That's true. I've failed three times trying to capture one of you – but it wasn't me who captured your friend. It was all thanks to Lord Artorius."

Once again, Velvet and her companions were surprised by this. They wondered how Ludger managed to actually get tangled up with Artorius to have the Shepherd capture him personally. Also, Oscar said that only Ludger seems to have been captured, which made them wonder what Jude and Milla were doing at the time? Did they know he was captured? Or perhaps they were captured as well? There were so many questions but no answer to them.

Oscar continued, "Lord Artorius has personally ordered us to find you. This time, we won't fail!"

That was the signal to attack as Oscar and Eleanor both summoned their malakhim to battle. Oscar still only had one while Eleanor summoned both her malakhim and Bienfu as well, making it a total of three.

"Eleanor Hume, Exorcist praetor!" Eleanor exclaimed.

"I'll protect you, Madam Eleanor!" Bienfu cried out.

All fifteen elite Exorcist soldiers circled the party before charging in to engage them. Outnumbered, Velvet, Rokurou and Eizen each backed up to cover each other's blind spots with Laphicet in the center, protecting their most vulnerable party member while also allowing the young malak to cast his artes freely.

The first thing that Rokurou noticed as five Exorcist soldiers ganged up on him was that they coordinated their attacks on him. Previously, the Exorcists he fought foolishly engaged him one-on-one or even if they attacked simultaneously, their attacks were clumsy and lacked teamwork. This time however, he was forced to be on the defensive and could not find an opening for a counter-attack despite being a highly-skilled swordsman.

Eizen faced similar problems but unlike Rokurou, he at least had access to earth-elemental artes, which he utilized to defend himself from the coordinated attacks of the Exorcist soldiers. Several times, he summoned a pillar of stone from the ground to cover his flank, buying himself some time while he dealt with the enemies in front of him.

" _Stone Lance!"_

Eizen channeled for a quick second before unleashing his arte, covering an Exorcist soldier with rocks before it exploding, instantly incapacitating one Exorcist soldier. Before Eizen could channel for another arte, two more Exorcist soldiers attacked the pirate, stopping him.

As for Laphicet, he focused on providing support to his friends, creating protective barriers around Rokurou, Eizen and Velvet. If he saw they were safe, he would then channel offensive artes, such as Fireballs, which helped to deter some of the Exorcist soldiers from fully committing on their offensive.

From the start, Velvet unleashed her full potential, transforming her demonic arm and went on a rampage. Two Exorcist soldiers tried to attack simultaneously only to be slashed by the sharp claws of Velvet's demonic arm. To prevent further casualties, Oscar signaled the remaining Exorcists to focus on Velvet's companions. He and Eleanor shall deal with Velvet.

"You won't escape us this time, daemon." Oscar said to Velvet.

"We will show you no mercy!" Eleanor declared. Her two malakhim prepared for battle. Bienfu put up a brave front as well.

Velvet unleashed a frustrated growl and charged towards the two praetors. Oscar was Velvet's target as she thrust her blade forward. When Oscar parried the attack, Velvet followed it up by trying to slash the praetor with her demonic claws. Oscar again managed to block it with his sword but he nearly lost his grip on his weapon due to the force behind Velvet's attack. Before she could throw another attack, Eleanor intervened, appearing behind Velvet and pushing her spear forward.

"Don't interfere!" Velvet snarled, smacking Eleanor's spear away with her demonic arm.

Eleanor backed off but only for a moment before charging in again with her two malakhim following. This time Oscar and his malak followed to provide support. Velvet assumed the two praetors would not prove to be difficult, but she was wrong. Eleanor ordered her two malakhim to strike first, forcing Velvet to deal with them. Velvet grabbed one with her demonic arm and tossed the malak away and the other malak was quickly dealt with by sending a swift kick. But this allowed Eleanor the opportunity to get close, striking Velvet's right-side which forced her to defend herself with her wrist blade rather than her demonic arm.

Velvet avoided and blocked the first four of Eleanor's attacks when Oscar found his opening, dashing in from the side and lunging forward with his sword in the air. Velvet noticed far too late and quickly landed a kick on Eleanor's chest, shoving her backwards and shifting her focus to Oscar. She tried to knock him away with her demonic arm but it was too late and Oscar managed to graze Velvet's right shoulder with his sword. Oscar backed away but his malakhim tried to further injure Velvet, which was his mistake as Velvet easily parried the malakhim's attack and delivering an earth-shattering kick across its face, instantly knocking Oscar's malakhim out cold.

Velvet was panting by then. Even though it was only a short fight with Oscar and Eleanor along with their malakhim, the intensity was much more demanding. She had to focus. She checked on her allies and saw Eizen and Rokurou were having difficulties fending the Exorcists as well. Laphicet was barely keeping up with them, supporting the two with his vast array of offensive and supportive artes. It was clear that these Exorcist soldiers with the praetors were amongst the elite.

"You're aware, right?" Oscar taunted towards Velvet, "This time… You're not going to get away."

Velvet growled but didn't say anything. She again looked at Rokurou and Eizen, both struggling fending themselves from the onslaught of Exorcist soldiers.

"Gotta admit, these guys are pretty tough." Rokurou said with sweat dropping pouring down his brows.

"They aren't trying to defeat us with their skills." Eizen breathlessly pointed out, "They're trying to wear us out."

"Should we try force our way out?" Rokurou asked Eizen.

"…I doubt they'd let us if we tried."

So it was clear now to Velvet and her companions that they weren't getting out. The Exorcist soldiers had them surrounded, cutting out any escape route other than forcing their way through. And now, Eizen and Rokurou were starting to run out of steam.

After a couple of seconds, Oscar raised his hand. Eleanor looked at the promising praetor and knew he was about to give the order for all Exorcist soldiers to charge in simultaneously. There was no way for Velvet, Eizen, Rokurou and Laphicet to take on the full assault of the elite Exorcist soldiers.

"Heh, looks like it's a good thing Benwick told us to stay behind just in case." A familiar, croaky voice said.

Oscar was already on high alert so the moment he heard someone speaking, he spun around to face the source of the voice. His eyes widened as he had seen this person before. It was the lizard daemon that assisted Velvet and her party escape from Hellawes – Dyle! And behind the lizard daemon were several armed pirates.

Velvet was shocked and relieved at the same time to see the familiar lizard daemon, "Dyle! What're you doing here?"

Dyle grinned, "Benwick told some of us to stay behind at the port and hide, just in case you lot needed help. Guess he was right. Good thing Benwick thought ahead."

A tired smirk grew on Eizen, "I'll have to thank him when I see him then."

"Let's get 'em, boys!" Dyle roared, charging towards the grouped Exorcists. The pirates released a battle cry before following the lizard daemon.

The situation had changed completely. With Dyle and the pirates as reinforcements, the Exorcist soldiers shifted their attention on dealing with the newcomers. Oscar and Eleanor tried to regain command on the Exorcist soldiers but due to the mass confusion caused by the pirates, order was lost. The pirates clashed against the Exorcist elite soldiers.

"Madam Eleanor! We should retreat while we have the chance!" The little malakhim known as Bienfu said to its master.

With the confusion caused by the pirates, Eleanor didn't know what to do. She turned to Oscar, hoping the talented praetor had an idea on their next course of action. But he too was blank. It was horrible how the Exorcist soldiers have completely ignored the orders from their chain of command.

And the woman who had been stalking Eleanor took advantage of the mass confusion.

"There you aaaaaare, Bienfu!" A woman said from one of the rooftops, "I've searched far and wide for you, and now the time has finally come! Did you think you could run from your true mistress?"

Bienfu, the little malakhim of Eleanor immediately felt a chill crawl up his spine, "T-T-That voice…! M-Miss Magilou…?"

Magilou jumped from off the rooftop and landed between Velvet and Eleanor, her eyes glued on Bienfu, "That's right! You were a hassle to track down, but it looks like I've finally found you. You're mine!"

With Eleanor distracted by the sudden entrance of Magilou, Velvet seized her chance. She dashed past Magilou and attacked the unprepared Eleanor. Eleanor tried to defend herself but her reaction was a little too slow, allowing Velvet to easily land a thunderous kick straight on the praetor's chest, sending her flying backwards. Her two malakhim attacked Velvet, but were easily dealt with. Velvet grabbed one with her demonic arm, slamming it into the ground while the other received a large slash across its midsection with Velvet's gauntlet blade.

Only Bienfu now remained standing before Velvet, cowering in fear – until Magilou entered the picture.

Magilou grabbed Bienfu by the hat and pulled him into the air until they were eye-to-eye, "I'm putting you back where you belong!"

"N-Nooo!"

Magilou began chanting words as a channeling circle appeared around her, "You, descendant of the Seventh Grove, see our vows renewed. May our prayers of discontent vanish infinitesimal into the void! Remember this true name I bestow upon you… Fuschie Cass!"

"Bieeeeen! Bad-baaaaad!"

With the ritual complete, Bienfu dispelled his physical form and disappeared within Magilou. It was done. The one thing that Magilou had been searching for since escaping from the prison island, Bienfu, was hers once again. She had regained her old powers.

Magilou laughed softly at first before cackling in laughter, "Oh… I feel it. Now, it is ON!"

Oscar swung his sword around him before charging towards Velvet and Magilou, "I'll defeat you myself!"

Before Oscar could even get close, Magilou grinned and swung around while gathering energy in the palm of her hands. Oscar sensed the danger from the raw power Magilou had in her hands and stopped dead in his tracks. Magilou tossed the ball of energy at the young praetor but he was quick on his feet, tumbling to his right. The ball of energy blasted a warehouse, creating a small crater on the wall.

Oscar saw the damage Magilou's arte had caused and looked at her, "Such power… Are you an Exorcist?"

Magilou snorted at the question, "Wrong! I am a witch, for whom the universe is a plaything, and the souls of men but motes! But if it's my name you wish to know, you can call me Miss Magilou!"

"You… You're a human then."

Eleanor had recovered by then, although she was struggling to stand on her feet, "Bienfu… She forcefully captured Bienfu! A human consorting with daemons… This is unforgivable!"

Magilou turned to Velvet and her friends, "I'm sure you're all glad to see me and thank me for rescuing you all, but that can wait. For now, let's bust out of here!"

"You aren't going anywhere!" Oscar exclaimed.

Oscar was right. Even if the Exorcist soldiers were too busy dealing with the pirates, Velvet's group still had no escape path. They still needed to get through the bulk of the Exorcists first. While Laphicet possesses some offensive artes, they were mostly single-target elemental artes like an average-sized fireball. It wasn't enough to clear them a path.

Magilou grinned, "Now that I've got Bienfu back, these things are a cinch!"

Magilou spun around before unleashing a blast of pure energy at the group of Exorcist soldiers, shoving all of them to the side. What was even more frightening was that Magilou's arte did not affect the pirates, demonstrating to Velvet and the group the precision of her artes.

"Magilou's created an opening! Let's go!" Eizen barked. As he ran past his fellow pirates, he called out to them, "You guys get out of here too!"

Dyle nodded, "Right! We already got a rendezvous point with the Van Eltia! Don't worry about us!" Dyle turned to the other pirates, "Let's go everyone!"

Velvet, Rokurou and Laphicet didn't waste time, following Eizen and running past the awestruck Oscar and Eleanor. In just a matter of seconds, Velvet and her companions along with the pirates have escaped from the port.

Eleanor wanted to give chase but then her eyes noticed something peculiar coming from the warehouse that Velvet's party came out of. It was smoke!

"They… They set the storehouse ablaze?!" Eleanor exclaimed in horror, "Those monsters! The people have worked so hard to withstand this time of crisis, but they… They destroyed what they have so painstakingly built!"

Oscar watched Velvet getting away and clenched his fists in anger. But now was not the time for his emotion to control him.

"Everyone, we need to put out the fire!" Oscar commanded.

The defeated Exorcist soldiers by then realized their targets have escaped and listened to their commanding officer, scrambling to get water and alert the citizens to clear from the area. A short moment later, the Exorcist soldiers were busy putting out the fire.

"What was kept in that warehouse that those daemons would burn it?" Eleanor questioned.

Oscar shook his head, "We have to find out. If anything, it's necessary when we report to Lord Artorius… That we failed in our mission."

Silence. Oscar and Eleanor continued to supervise the situation, both clearly upset that their ambush on Velvet's group was foiled.

XXXXXXXX

A distance away from Port Zekson at the Danann Highway, Velvet's group was now safe from the Abbey that might try to pursue them. Dyle and the pirates separated much earlier, stating they needed to rendezvous with the Van Eltia elsewhere. Eizen thanked them for their help before they left.

So now that Velvet's party has succeeded on their first task of destroying the red crates and safe from the Abbey, they could decide on their next move.

Rokurou turned to Magilou, "Wow, to steal a malak from an Exorcist… I wasn't expecting that. How did you pull that one off, Magilou?"

"Bienfu was my malak to begin with – at least until he _betrayed_ me and ran away from his rightful home."

Bienfu, the adorable little malak burst into tears, "But Miss Magilou treats malakhim so bad-bad-bad! I couldn't take it anymore! After that, I ran into Madam Eleanor. She was so much nicer to me!"

Magilou popped a vein and pinched Bienfu's cheek, "Now just how am I going to punish you for that little slander on my character?"

"Bieeeeen! The bad-bad-bad days are here again!"

"So you're an Exorcist then." Velvet said.

Magilou laughed, "I told you I'm a witch. Clean your ears next time! Bienfu here is the catalyst-thingie for my magic."

"But only Exorcists can form a pact with a malakhim."

"Oh yeah? Says who? Someone who likes making dumb rules?"

Velvet resisted the urge to clobber Magilou up. At least she actually would have but Rokurou gripped Velvet's shoulder, stopping her. It was enough to stop her.

"So Magilou, will you be joining us from here on out?" Eizen questioned.

Magilou shrugged, "Might as well. What're you guys up to now?"

"We still have two more tasks to accomplish for the guild. I suggest we do the one about the missing scholar last seen at the Galles Lake Road. It's on the way, so we might as well. What do you guys think?"

Rokurou shrugged, "I'm up for anything."

"We'll go with that." Velvet decided.

"You said two more tasks right? What's the last one?" Magilou asked.

"Something about foiling an ambush attempt just off the Danann Highway. It's on the way towards the capital when we return from the lake road." Eizen explained.

"Let's go then." Velvet urged, "We'll complete the last two jobs before we return to the capital."

Eizen led the way as he was the only one amongst the group that had the directions in the current world. Velvet, Rokurou and Magilou had been imprisoned for the past few years and Laphicet only recently gained his freedom from the Abbey. Their destination: the Galles lake road.

* * *

 **Skit: What Happened?  
Present: Velvet, Laphicet, Rokurou, Eizen & Magilou**

 **Laphicet: …**

 **Rokurou: What's wrong, Laphicet?**

 **Laphicet: I was just wondering… If it was true about what they said about Ludger.**

 **Rokurou: About Ludger?**

 **Eizen: …You mean about Ludger being captured?**

 **Laphicet: *Nods***

 **Eizen: We won't know for sure, but it could just be a trap to lure us in. They're pretty adamant about capturing us.**

 **Magilou: Oh, they told you about that? They weren't lying.**

 **Rokurou: *Surprised* You mean…?**

 **Magilou: That's right. Ludger's been captured. Last I saw, Jude and Milla are apparently devising a plan to rescue him.**

 **Laphicet: W-We should go help!**

 **Velvet: No.**

 **Laphicet: Huh?**

 **Velvet: We separated because we have our own things we must do. In the beginning, we only worked together because we shared a similar goal. If we were in trouble, don't think they'll come to our aid. Our goals are different. We can't waste time.**

 **Eizen: I hate to say it, but I agree with Velvet. It's not like we don't want to help them, but it's just that we will be going out of our way to help them. We can't afford to do that right now.**

 **Velvet: Now come on. We have a job to do.**

 **Laphicet: …..**

 **Magilou: Ah, such is life.**

* * *

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Back at Loegress, the capital of the Midgand Empire, Jude Mathis and Milla Maxwell have just entered the outside compound of the Loegress Villa. The Exorcists saw them but simply thought they were regular townspeople who wanted to see the headquarters of the Abbey.

Jude turned to the Lord of Spirits, "Remember Milla, I need you to distract the guards while I find Ludger and get him out. Once I've rescued him, we need to retreat and lay low somewhere in the city. Since we don't have any travel documents, I don't think we can leave the city. We'll figure that out later."

Milla nodded, "Don't worry Jude, I'm aware of the plan. With the Great Four at my disposal, I can handle myself. Just make sure you don't waste time."

"Yeah."

Milla stepped forward, "Then let's begin."

Milla summoned the Great Four spirits physical form and instantly ordered Efreet to unleash a fireball at the main entrance of the villa. Efreet opened the palm of his right hand and tossed the ball of fire, blasting open the door. Their way into the villa was open.

All Exorcist soldiers were shocked at the sudden explosion and immediately leapt into action, moving towards the source of the explosion. The Great Four spirits quickly took care of them, with Undine and Sylph knocking them off their feet with their respective elemental artes. One or two Exorcist soldiers managed to slip past the Great Spirits artes and attacked Milla, but the Lord of Spirits was still a skilled swords-user, promptly finishing them off with a quick slash of her sword.

As for Gnome, the Great Spirit of earth, summoned pillars of earth and threw it on the walls of the villa, greatly damaging the Abbey's headquarters. This act caught the attention of all available Exorcist soldiers.

"Jude, go." Milla said calmly as more and more Exorcist soldiers came forth to engage the Lord of Spirits.

Jude nodded and quickly ran towards the main entrance. Any Exorcist soldiers that tried to intercept his path were quickly dealt with by the elemental artes of the Great Spirit. Even then, Jude could swiftly deal with them with his martial artes. Once he was inside, all attention was on Milla.

"Hurry Jude." Milla whispered under her breath.

XXX

Jude hurried through the corridors of the villa, searching for where they kept Ludger. A few times, he had to hide behind walls or even inside rooms for a few seconds as Exorcist soldiers were running towards the main entrance to stop Milla's assault. Once the coast was clear, he would continue on his search.

After about two minutes, Jude entered the east wing of the villa and approached one particular door, which was his twelfth room to enter. He twisted open the door knob and this time, he found his target.

Jude found Ludger strapped to a chair in the middle of the room. There were three Exorcist soldiers around the room and when they saw Jude, quickly picked up their weapons. However Jude's attention was on the man in front of Ludger – it was Artorius, the recently dubbed Shepherd and savior of the world. He was inside this room too.

"Jude?" Ludger cried out in shock.

"Ludger, hang on. I'm going to get you out of here."

"Get him." Artorius ordered the three Exorcist soldiers inside the room.

The three Exorcist soldiers obeyed almost immediately, all three simultaneously charging towards Jude. The first Exorcist soldier swung his sword at Jude but he side-stepped to dodge the attack and returned a quick counter, landing a swift blow square on the Exorcist's chest, breaking at least two rib bones. The second Exorcist followed up, delivering several quick strikes with his sword but Jude avoided each one before throwing two quick but powerful punches on the Exorcist's head and ended it with a destructive kick directly on the Exorcist's chest, throwing him backwards and crashing on the floor before falling on the ground, unconscious.

The third Exorcist was much more cautious, approaching Jude slowly. However that was his mistake as he assumed Jude would take this slow. Jude suddenly dashed forward and landed his elbow directly on the Exorcist's head and despite the head gear he was wearing, instantly knocked the Exorcist out cold.

"Impressive. Not many I know choose to use their body as a weapon." Artorius said, referring to Jude's use of martial arts.

Jude faced Artorius, "Let Ludger go."

"He must pay for his crimes." Artorius answered, drawing out his sword and pointing it at Jude, "And so do you. Your actions at Hellawes have ruined the lives of many."

Hearing Artorius speaking like that, acting as if he had never done anything wrong infuriated Jude.

"And what about you?" Jude challenged, "You strip the free-will of malakhim and take advantage of them! They don't deserve that!"

"…Sacrifices must be made for the future of our world. It is only necessary."

Jude saw that Artorius didn't even feel one bit of remorse for binding malakhim to the will of humans. In Rieze Maxia, spirits and humans share a relationship where both give and take from one another. However in this world, it disgusted him how the Abbey only sees the malakhim as tools.

Jude raised his fists and moved into an aggressive stance. He needed to beat some sense into this man known as the savior of the world.

"Don't be foolish. Just surrender and you won't have to suffer." Artorius said to Jude.

Jude refused and engaged the Shepherd. Jude threw a quick punch to test the water only to discover Artorius was faster than anticipated, side-stepping the attack and appearing on Jude's right. The Shepherd thrust his sword forward but Jude managed to parry the attack with his bracers.

" _Aqua Sweep!"_

Jude got down and tried to sweep Artorius off his feet but the Shepherd saw through Jude's attack, leaping backwards and immediately lunging forward. Jude quickly defended himself, using his bracers to block all of Artorius's attack. From here on out, Artorius went on the offensive, continuously swinging his sword to pressure his young opponent. To the Shepherd's amazement, Jude was rather skilled at defending as he could not find an opening for some time. Every time he thought Jude was vulnerable, Jude managed to evade or block the attack.

At one point, Jude managed to parry one of Artorius's attacks and sprung a counter-attack, throwing a fist at the Shepherd. Artorius evaded the attack only to find Jude had already thrown a second attack, this time landing a kick on Artorius's left forearm. The Shepherd grunted in pain but brushed it off.

Artorius now concluded one thing – Jude's fighting style favored being on the defensive and retaliating with a quick but powerful counter-attack. Artorius decided he needed to force Jude to be on the defensive to the point he couldn't come up with a return attack.

The two re-engaged once more, exchanging blows. In the end, experience was the factor. Artorius had more battle-experience over Jude and much more aware of his surroundings. Jude didn't take this into consideration. While the whole time Artorius was on the offensive, Jude kept backing up – until he had nowhere else to go. He had backed into the wall.

"It's over." Artorius said, and that was the last thing Jude heard.

Artorius showed no mercy and swung his sword downwards, slashing from Jude's chest down into his midsection. Normally Jude could have used his ' _Snap Pivot'_ but due to Artorius's speed, he couldn't react quickly enough. He screamed in agony before falling forward, blood pouring from the gash on his body. Worse of all, Jude wasn't moving. It was unknown whether he had died or was just unconscious.

"Jude?" Ludger called out, his voice shaking at the thought that his friend had died. "Jude?! Hey, Jude… Answer me. Jude! Jude!"

Jude groaned in pain, coughing out blood. Artorius could see Jude apply healing artes on his wound, which helped keep him alive. Even more impressive was that Artroius could tell Jude's healing artes were of a particularly high level.

Artorius sheathed his sword, "Foolish."

However Ludger didn't see Jude was alive. When he saw Artorius appear to have struck a vital blow, he snapped. Even though he didn't have his pocket watch in his hand, he unleashed a scream of vengeance and was enveloped in a white light before transforming into his Chromatus form. However unlike before, the black Chromatus armor wrapped his entire body safe for his face and due to the transformation, he had broken free from the straps on his chair.

Ludger had unlocked the level three Chromatus form.

"L-Ludger?" Jude muttered weakly. This was the first time seeing Ludger's Chromatus armor fully covering his entire body.

"So this is your transformation powers?" Artorius said and moved into a defensive stance.

Ludger's blood was boiling and didn't care to say anything else as he dashed towards the Shepherd. Artorius was taken by surprise by Ludger's increase in speed and when Ludger's lance connected with Artorius's sword, the Shepherd learned that Ludger's strength has also increased.

Ludger then jumped back and summoned several balls of energy behind him before having all of it thrown at Artorius. The Shepherd didn't know what they were and used his sword to block each of them. The balls of energy possessed tremendous strength since the Shepherd could feel his grip on his sword weakening each time he blocked the ball of energy. Finally Ludger threw his Chromatus lance at Artorius.

" _Form Destroyer!"_

This was Ludger's mystic arte under his Chromatus form. Artorius used his sword to block the lance until Ludger appeared before him and grabbed hold of the lance, forcing it forward. Artorius wasn't expecting so much power and was overpowered, blasting backwards and crashing through the glass window.

Artorius landed on his feet outside the Loegress Villa. Ludger followed, jumping out of the window and landing just in front of Artorius, still draped under the level three Chromatus form.

"I see now why Oscar was defeated after you transformed." Artorius said, "I need to be serious now."

Artorius looked to his left and was surprised to discover a number of Exorcist soldiers scattered around the compound, all groaning in pain. Near the main entrance of the villa, he could see a golden-haired woman surrounded by other Exorcist soldiers but she was in total control of the battle.

Then Artorius saw the figures around Milla – the Great Four Spirits. But because each Great Spirit represented each of the four elements, it almost matched the legends of the Four Empyreans.

"No… It cannot be…" Artorius whispered in disbelief, "They almost match the description of the Four Empyreans. Who is that woman? No... More importantly, who _are_ these three?"

 **CHAPTER END**


	13. CHAPTER 13: GOALS

**A/N: Hey guys, I bring to you all the new update for this story! I apologize for the late update. Chapter has been updated now thanks to the editor's help :)**  
 **Now let's get to responding to reviews!**

 **RedRat8: Considering Artorius thought it was the four Empyreans, he was definitely shocked despite being the usual calm Shepherd. Laphi imprinting Ludger? I'm not sure I follow**

 **Tony Anderson: As usual, hope you will enjoy this chapter**

 **RSBCS: That's good to hear. I always worry that my descriptions aren't visualized like how I want it to with my lack of grammar.**  
 **-It was something I thought up of really. With this story, I really want to increase the appearance, or usefulness, of a character that was shunned in the original game. Basically Oscar and to some extent, Dyle. That's what I did with the Port Zekson battle scene.**  
 **-Yeah I admit the battle at the villa was rather rushed. Also Jude was never going to die, but I guess when I first submitted the chapter for editing, you thought he was dead so I rephrased Jude's injuries, and I think it helped portray the message that Jude was just wounded and not dead.**

 **Justin: Glad you like it :)**

 **chronotimeguard: It's difficult to judge the power levels between Artorius and the Xillia cast. For now, I've made it seem where even Ludger's level 3 Chromatus only forces Artorius to be serious.**  
 **-Well Laphicet just got his freedom so no doubt he'd be worried for Ludger after hearing he was captured. But Velvet and Eizen have their own goals and they knew what it meant when they separated.**  
 **-Aye, I admit it's not going to be easy to work on this pairing but I think it will be an interesting challenge**

 **xXxAnGeLFLoNnExXx: Well if you can spread the news of this story, I'm sure I'll get more reviews xD but on a serious note, I'm quite satisfied with the number I'm getting. Above 8 reviews per chapter is enough to make me happy :D**  
 **-You are pretty on point about the Chronos's domain. While not exactly, let's just say this is closely related to the Milla Kresnik fractured dimension**

 **Gravenimage: I understand. It was the same for me as I'd normally be notified when I update a chapter, but received none.**

 **ElementalSoldier9819: If I'm not mistaken, I believe Ludger achieved level 3 Chromatus with his own pocket watch the first time.**  
 **-Do you have a source that states the four Empyrean are around the same strength as the Great Four? I'm being genuine by the way, not asking this in a sarcastic manner, lol. But yes, right now Artorius definitely underestimated the power of the Chromatus.**

 **Roxas Blaze: I can understand your desire to want Ludger to just wipe the floor with Artorius, but that takes the fun out of the story. For now, you'll just have to be satisfied with how Ludger deals with Artorius in this chapter. And yes, he got level 3 Chromatus due to his emotions. As Julius said, a person has to "want" the power to get it. For Ludger, it was his desire to protect Elle. In this story, it was after seeing Jude getting hurt.**  
 **-Well Milla is attacking the Loegres Villa, not the capital. I think she won't be able to last long openly attacking the empire's capital xD**  
 **-Ah Oscar, Oscar. I'm definitely trying to give him more appearance in this story, but so far, he's just like the "persistent cop" chasing the main characters, lol.**

 **Guest: I would probably that for an entirely new story, lol. Having Velvet enter the Xillia world now would not help since the focus right now is ToX merging into ToB.**

 **SonicProdigy55: Good to hear you're liking it. I'm not sure how the ToB fanfic community is doing, but I'm definitely enjoying writing this crossover.**  
 **-Well hop aboard! You're not the first, and I doubt you will be the last to be on the Ludger x Velvet ship.**  
 **-Thanks for your words of encouragement. I'll do my best!**

 **Kiri Kaitou Clover: Thanks! I admit, I am quite pleased with how I managed to "logically" somehow integrate the ToX cast into the ToB world.**  
 **-One of the better Berseria fics? Thanks a lot mate! I was browsing through the Tales reddit, and I saw some people sometimes asking for fanfic. I wonder if I should actualyl advertise my work there, lol.**

 **Forgotten64: Hmmm your name sounds familiar. Have you read my Xillia stories too? Not sure if you're the same person or not, lol**  
 **-Thanks. I definitely try to make an effort to keep the characters consistent to the game.**  
 **-Honestly I hope I will be able to make sense by linking the two elements from both games into this story without making it sound stupid. Obviously canon they aren't linked, but by picking certain factors, I'm trying to connect them.**  
 **-Do share your theories. I enjoy reading what you theories you guys come up as I churn out new chapters. It's really interesting and fun, haha**

 **Well that's it for responding to reviews. I hope you guys will enjoy this new chapter and do let me know your thoughts of the new chapter or how the story is coming along. Till next time!**

 **CHAPTER 13: GOALS**

Artorius continued to watch Milla command the Great Four spirits by her side and easily disposing of any Exorcist soldiers that tried to stop her. Now the Shepherd knew why Ludger's companion, Jude, managed to sneak into the villa easily and find the interrogation room undetected. The golden-haired woman was drawing all of the Exorcist's attention to her.

At first glance, Artorius really did think Milla's Great Four spirits were the four Empyreans as they each represented all four of the elements – earth, fire, wind and water. But after just a few seconds of observing the Great Four in action and not allowing his emotions cloud his judgment, he came to a conclusion.

"No. They are not the four Empyreans. They share certain similarities with malakhim but they are different." Artorius said to himself and fixated his eyes on Milla, "Even so, that golden-haired woman holds the biggest threat. If she controls those four exactly like how one has four malakhim tethered to an Exorcist, she will be a problem."

"You don't have the time to be looking elsewhere!" Ludger growled.

Artorius had completely forgotten about Ludger and returned his attention to the young Kresnik. Still draped under the level three Chromatus form, Ludger dashed towards the Shepherd and exchanged blows. Previously when they fought, Artorius easily defeated Ludger. But this time around was different. Thanks to the enhanced speed, strength and enhanced reflexes granted by the new level of the Chromatus, Ludger was actually almost on equal footing with the Shepherd.

The two finally broke away when Artorius blocked Ludger's lance and used the force to hop away, creating some distance between the two. The fight had come to a temporary halt. For Artorius, this was a small breather that he could use to analyze the situation.

"Milla! Ludger!" A voice called out from the villa.

Artorius turned to the source of the voice and saw Jude calling out to his two friends from the window of the interrogation room. Jude jumped out of the window and was moving towards Milla. Ludger seemed to have calmed a little after seeing Jude was alive and well.

Just a minute ago, Artorius had delivered a large wound across Jude's body but it looks like he already healed himself with his healing artes. A wound that large so quickly taken care of told the Shepherd enough of Jude's healing capabilities.

Jude reached Milla and Artorius continued to watch as he now provided support to the golden-haired woman. This way, Milla could focus on giving commands to the Great Four without worry now that Jude would protect her from any Exorcist soldiers that managed to get within range. Indeed the two served as a terrifying duo.

Artorius then shifted his attention back to Ludger. He was now beginning to understand how troublesome the trio was. With Jude's impressive healing artes and a skilled martial artist, Milla with the power of the Great Four and Ludger who was proficient with three weapons and possessing the power to transform which boosts his fighting capabilities, they were a fearsome team.

"Now I understand why Oscar failed so many times trying to capture them." Artorius said to himself. For now, he would deal with Ludger first.

While Artorius was preoccupied with Ludger, Milla and Jude just needed to clear out the Exorcist reinforcements before they could safely make their clean escape. There were several more coming out of the villa. But it appears to be the final batch before it was safe to flee. But along with the final batch of reinforcement, a woman was part of it this time – A woman that Jude and Milla have encountered before.

"So it's you two!" Lady Teresa exclaimed, "Now you're openly attacking the headquarters of the Abbey? You won't get away with this!"

Teresa's arrival just made things rather complicated. Milla guessed she was late to the scene because she was tending to the wounded. After all, the attacks by the Great Four spirits wounded many Exorcist soldiers and were brought into the villa to be healed. Teresa's healing artes were exceptional so she probably did what she could before she decided she needed to personally stop the attackers herself.

"That's the woman that was in charge of Hellawes." Milla stated plainly.

Jude raised his fists, "We need to end things here quickly!"

"Agreed."

Teresa took command of the situation, rallying half of the remaining soldiers to grab the wounded and bring them into the villa for healing. That was her number one priority. The other half, she ordered them to surround Jude and Milla so that they could strike as a whole rather than foolishly attacking the pair one by one.

"They're actually working together now." Milla said and commanded the Great Four to her side. She and Jude were now surrounded by Exorcist soldiers, all waiting like hungry lions. "Jude, be careful."

"Yeah, I know."

So while Jude and Milla needed to clear the last batch of Exorcist soldiers with Teresa commanding them, Artorius and Ludger have been locked in a battle against each other.

It had been a long time since Artorius was actually forced to be on the defensive as he continued taking back-steps and continuously blocked or evaded Ludger's attacks. He couldn't even find an opening for a swift counter-attack. Ludger's increase in speed and reflexes due to the level three Chromatus form forced the Shepherd to be extra cautious. It was safer for him to be on the defensive until the young Kresnik committed a mistake.

As for Ludger, despite unlocking the third level of the Chromatus form just a few minutes ago, he now knew firsthand just how skilled of a swordsman Artorius was. While it was true Artorius remained on the defensive, Ludger could not land a single hit on the Shepherd. Besides that, he also noticed that Artorius was only using his left arm as his right-hand appears to be permanently disabled. Their duel was at a standstill.

"Your ability to transform… So this is your true power." Artorius said while dodging another of Ludger's attacks, "Why didn't you transform when I captured you?"

Ludger stopped attacking and answered, "I couldn't escape from that situation. I knew that. So instead, I decided to buy time for my friends to get away from the area."

"How considerate of you." Artorius replied. Ludger charged forward and attacked but Artorius blocked it once more before their fight stopped again. "…Not many have forced me to go serious in a fight. And this is the first time anyone has ever openly attacked the headquarters of the Abbey. You and your two friends cannot be allowed leave with your lives."

Ludger gripped his lance tightly, "Say that after you've defeated us."

"It's still far too early for you to grow arrogant!"

This time it was Artorius that went on the offensive, dashing towards Ludger. The two clashed once again, both exchanging blows. Ludger relied more on his speed to his advantage, moving to the side and suddenly blinking directly in front of the Shepherd. But while Ludger's battle prowess had been greatly enhanced, Artorius had the experience and refined swordsmanship. Wherever Ludger tried to find an opening, the Shepherd would predict the young Kresnik's attempt and intercept it, blocking it with his sword. Ludger and Artorius were evenly matched for now.

Meanwhile Milla and Jude were almost done with what they needed to do. While Milla focused on eliminating the last remaining batch of Exorcist soldiers, Jude kept Teresa occupied by engaging her in combat. This forced Teresa to focus on her fight and unable to command the Exorcist soldiers.

" _Demon Fist!"_

Jude unleashed a wave of energy at Teresa, which she avoided easily but allowed Jude to close the gap between the two. He threw a punch forward, forcing Teresa to use her staff to block the attack but she was unable to keep up as Jude followed it up with a kick on her midsection. Before she could recover, Jude finished it by thrusting both palms forward, knocking her backwards and off her feet. Teresa landed on her back and groaned in pain.

Jude stopped then. He wasn't fighting Teresa to defeat her, just enough that she can't stop them from escaping. Besides even though they were now enemies, she did treat him well back at Hellawes. The only thing he disagreed about her was her treatment of malakhim.

"You three… You three won't get away with this." Teresa declared while wincing in pain.

"Please stay down, Teresa. I don't want to hurt you more than necessary." Jude said.

"You… You don't know what you've done. You publicly attacked the headquarters of the Abbey… There's no walking away from that. The entire Abbey will hunt you down for this!"

"If it was to rescue a friend, I'd gladly do it."

With Milla, the last three Exorcist soldiers still standing were blown off their feet by Sylph, the Great Spirit of wind. After they were taken care of, the coast was clear.

"Jude, I'm finished here." Milla said to Jude, "We have to escape now before more arrive."

"Right." Jude looked to the right and called out to his friend, "Ludger! We need to go now!"

Ludger heard Jude and decided he needed to get out of his fight with the Shepherd. Of course Artorius knew that and was determined to keep Ludger occupied. Artorius stepped forward and thrust his sword forward, forcing Ludger to parry it with his lance. The Shepherd attacked several more times, making sure Ludger couldn't find an opportunity to flee, but that was the mistake. Artorius's plan was to keep Ludger focused on the fight without any clear plan of actually defeating the young Kresnik, so his attacks were random and unplanned. So when one of Artorius's attacks was aimed at Ludger's shoulders, Ludger pushed his lance upwards, knocking his sword arm back and stunning the Shepherd for a second.

It was only a second. One short moment was all Ludger needed and he found it. With Shepherd Artorius stunned for a second, Ludger created several bolts of energy behind him once more and threw them all at the Shepherd. Artorius recovered at the last second and blocked each one with his sword. But unlike before, he barely had time to recover. Ludger raised his lance and with all his might, tossed it at the Shepherd.

" _Form Destroyer!"_

Once more unleashing his mystic arte, the lance pierced the air as it flew towards Artorius. The Shepherd quickly drew his sword in front of him at the nick of time, the lance smashing on his sword. The impact was so powerful that it knocked the Shepherd several meters backwards until he crashed into the walls of the villa. Dust and debris burst out from the impact.

Finally temporarily disabling the Shepherd, Ludger dispelled his Chromatus form and ran towards his friends. "Jude! Milla! Let's go!"

Jude checked and saw that with the exception of Lady Teresa, there were no additional Exorcist soldiers to chase after them. He gave a nod to Milla and followed Ludger, making their escape. Milla summoned the Great Four back to her side before dispelling their physical form. Once that was done, she followed her companions to make her escape.

Jude and Milla's rescue mission for Ludger was considered a success, even temporarily disabling the Abbey's headquarters.

Teresa witnessed what Ludger did to the Shepherd and she ran towards the scene, but could not find the leader of the Abbey due to the dust caused when Artorius crashed into the walls of the villa. But a few seconds later, much to her relief, the leader of the Abbey walked out of the dust of the debris with no visible injuries except the dirt on his outfit.

"Lord Artorius! You're unharmed." Teresa said with relief.

Artorius dusted the dirt off his shoulders and surveyed his surroundings. When he didn't find what he was looking for, he turned to Teresa, "…Did they escape?"

Teresa nodded, "They have, Lord Artorius. But don't worry, they cannot escape the city. The main entrance of Loegres is heavily guarded and without the proper documents, they cannot leave the capital."

"Then I shall leave it to you to organize a search party for their capture."

"Of course, Lord Artorius!" Teresa answered quickly. She was eager to prove her worth to the leader of the Abbey.

"I shall be looking forward to your report then." Artorius said and started walking towards the villa. "I need to speak with legate Melchior. If you have something new to report to me, you can find me there."

"Yes, Lord Artorius!"

Artorius watched Teresa hurrying off to probably search for a number of Exorcist soldiers that could join her search party. That should keep her occupied. This way, he could speak with Melchior with no interruptions. It was time to see what the old legate knew of this _"Kresnik"_ name.

XXXXXXXX

At the same time at Port Zekson, praetor Oscar Dragonia and Eleanor Hume have safely managed to calm the populace and organize the local guards and elite Exorcists that accompanied them to put out the fire inside the warehouse. They failed in their mission at apprehending their targets, but for now their priority was to re-establish order at the port town.

It didn't take long for Oscar and Eleanor to have accomplished their task. With the warehouse fire put out and the presence of two praetor at the port town, the townspeople soon calmed down and stopped asking questions.

"Praetors, thank you for helping us put out the fire." A male official of the port town said gratefully.

"We were only doing our duty. There's no need for thanks." Eleanor answered with a warm smile.

"You're too modest, miss praetor." A middle-aged woman said.

While Eleanor dealt with the people giving their thanks to the Abbey, Oscar had an issue boggling his mind – Velvet and her group's objective. Since the prison fortress, their aim had been to escape the Abbey and presumably reach Loegres. So he wondered what the point of randomly burning this particular warehouse was. He reasoned that there had to be a point for Velvet's group to target this particular warehouse.

Oscar turned to the male official, "Can you tell me what was being kept in that warehouse?"

The male official took a moment to think before he answered, "Just mostly Nectar, I believe. Yeah, it should be just Nectar. Vast stores of the medicine, provided by High Priest Gideon, to be distributed to doctors across the land."

Oscar thanked the man and got back to thinking. Even with this extra bit of information, he couldn't tell what Velvet's motive was.

"Oscar? Did you figure out something?" Eleanor asked.

Oscar shook his head, "Not exactly. I'm just wondering if it was medicine given by the church, why destroy it? What's the point?"

"You're right. That daemon and those friends of hers wouldn't have gone through all that trouble for nothing. There has to be a catch somehow."

Neither of the pair had an answer. But both knew that whatever it was, Velvet's objective was linked to the burning of those Nectars inside the warehouse. They just needed to find a link.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

At the Galles Lake Road, Velvet and the party were now trying to accomplish their second mission – To search and bring back a scholar by the name of Mendi. The missing scholar was reported to have gone missing at the Galles Lake Road, which was why they have come here.

The Galles Lake Road was a magnificent region with beautiful small lakes and the water reflecting the blue sky above. The water itself looked so peaceful, not a single ripple flowing on its surface. There were many lush green trees in the distance as well and rocks or boulders wrapped with vines. The Galles Lake Road was a prime example of Mother Nature undisturbed by humans.

The group of four was just halfway through the Galles Lake Road when Eizen had something he wanted to ask the group.

"I remember that praetor called Oscar from Vortigern, but what's the deal with you three and that Exorcist, Eleanor?" Eizen asked.

"What do you mean?" Rokurou asked.

"Velvet labeled her a crybaby when they ambushed us at the port." Eizen pointed out, "What's up with that?"

"Oh, that. Well, she had tears in her eyes when Milla and I first met her in Dyle's village at Northgand." Velvet explained, "So I called her the crybaby Exorcist."

"…Why was she crying?"

"She seemed troubled by the Abbey philosophy – No, _Artorius's_ philosophy. Sacrificing the individual for the good of the many is part of his values." Velvet snorted, "She's naïve."

"But the fact that she can still carry on shows just how strong she is. It looks like they don't just hand out the rank of praetor to just anyone."

"You sure are making a big deal out of this." Rokurou teased with a mischievous grin.

"Just thought I'd let you all know to stay sharp around her. That's all."

Magilou barged into the conversation, posing dramatically, "Maybe when I was just watching by the sidelines you should be cautious of her. But now that I've got back my power, you need not fear!"

As if to prove her point, Magilou had summoned the little malak, Bienfu. The little malak was the key for the self-proclaimed witch to access her powers.

"Biieeeeeennnnn…." The little malak cried out in defeat.

Rokurou stared at the little malak and couldn't help but ask, "So this little Bienfu is actually a malak? How come he looks so different to other malak we've seen before?"

Eizen folded his arms on his chest, "He may look strange, but yes, he's a malak."

"And despite being tethered to Bienfu, you insist you aren't an Exorcist." Velvet said while glaring at Magilou.

Magilou looked at Velvet and then at the others, "What? You think I'm some sort of spy or something? Don't forget I was locked up in that god forsaken prison too, okay? You're wrong if you think only Exorcists can tether with malakhim."

Velvet sighed, "Whatever. I don't care if you were an Exorcist or not. As long as you're useful, I don't have any complaints." Velvet ended the conversation there and started walking again, "Let's go. We still have a job to do."

The small group of five continued their search for the missing scholar at the Galles Lake Road, exploring the region and keeping an eye out for their target. Of course the party occasionally had to deal with random pack of monsters attacking them, which wasted their time since they were of no threat. But each battle with monsters helped each individual members of the party to understand the abilities of the other. It strengthened their teamwork.

At least fifteen minutes have passed and the group had no luck yet in their search. Velvet had hoped this job wouldn't take too much of their time, but looking for a missing man was not so easy.

"I don't understand…" Laphicet said softly.

Velvet heard it however and asked, "What is it?"

"I'm just wondering… If they know where the scholar vanished, why haven't they tried looking for him?"

Rokurou burst into the conversation, "Exactly what I was thinking! And also, why'd they have to go through the underworld to look for a missing person? What's so illegal about a missing person's case?"

"I can think of a few possibilities. But our job isn't to ask questions." Velvet remarked.

"Guys, quiet down." Eizen instructed, "I think we just might have found a clue to our missing person. Look over there."

Eizen pointed at something to the south and the party followed the direction at where Eizen was pointing. Then they saw it.

Around the foot of a small hill were two male soldiers. From their attire, they were most likely mercenaries as it wasn't the uniform of an Exorcist or a Midgand knight. So then why were mercenary soldiers out on the highroad? The party approached the pair.

When Velvet's group was close enough, the pair of mercenary soldiers were apprehensive and drew out their weapons.

"Who goes there?!" One of the mercenaries demanded.

"We're looking for a missing scholar named Mendi. He was last seen around the area. Do you happen to know where he is?" Eizen asked.

"That's none of your business!" The second mercenary declared.

"Get out of here if you don't wanna get hurt!" The first mercenary added.

With the way they answered, Velvet had her answer. She unsheathed her gauntlet blade, "Looks like we've found our missing person. He's being held hostage."

"Looks like it." Eizen said in agreement and prepared for battle.

While Eizen and Velvet looked prepare for a fight, the two mercenaries made the mistake of targeting Rokurou since he looked defenseless. Indeed it was a fatal mistake. The moment one of the mercenary was close enough, Rokurou drew out his twin blades in the blink of an eye and plunged both in the chest of one of the mercenary, instantly killing him.

"W-What?!" The remaining mercenary stammered. He didn't even see Rokurou draw out his dual daggers.

" _Tearing Thorn!"_

While the last mercenary was shocked by the sudden death of his companion, Velvet unleashed a devastating hook kick, delivering it to the mercenary's chin. Eizen followed it up by dashing towards the mercenary and delivering three consecutive punches before letting Laphicet finish the man off by sending a fireball blast the mercenary into the crystal clear water.

The battle lasted less than ten seconds.

"You guys could have let me in on the fun." Magilou said with a pout.

Rokurou laughed, "Sorry, sorry. We're so used to you not taking part in battle that we just finished them off quickly."

"Quit fooling around." Velvet barked, "Those mercenaries were guarding something behind the hill. Let's check it out."

Velvet led the group and the rest followed. There was a small pathway where the mercenaries were guarding so upon walking through the pathway, they found that behind the hill was a small mining operation.

The small mining camp consisted of only males and from their tired expressions, it was best to assume that they were being forced to work. No doubt those two mercenaries were hired to make sure these miners were kept in place. So the male miners all had confused looks when it was Velvet and her group rather than the usual mercenaries.

Velvet looked around and asked the miners, "Is there someone here named Mendi? We've come to help."

A young man stepped up, "T-That's me. Oh, thank goodness… I can finally go home."

"So those mercenaries WERE keeping you prisoner."

"They forced you to mine Vermillion ore?" Eizen asked.

Mendi gave a nod, "Yes. I discovered a method of refining it, and it cost me dearly."

"What's Vermillion ore?" Rokurou questioned. He had never heard of such a thing.

"It's a rare stone made of concentrated nutrients." Laphicet answered, "It's normally used in medicine."

Magilou added, "It can be used for medicine, but it's also poisonous. Sort of like a double-edged sword really."

"Correct." Eizen said.

"So you were making medicine?" Velvet asked the scholar, Mendi.

Mendi again gave a nod, "Yes. They were forcing me to make a nutritional substance called Nectar."

That little bit of information didn't fall on deaf ears. Velvet, Eizen and the rest remembered that the crates they burned in Port Zekson contained Nectar. There was now a link between the first and second job. The third task might also be another link to something bigger.

Eizen decided to press for more details from Mendi, "Isn't Vermillion ore supposed to be highly addictive?"

"I-I told them that, but what choice did I have?"

"Whatever. Don't worry about it." Velvet said, "Our task was to find and rescue you. Can you get back to Loegres on your own?"

"I can. Thank you for your help."

With that, Velvet's group have accomplished their second task and only had one job left to finish. They left the small mining camp and grouped to discuss their next move.

"So, what's the last job?" Magilou asked the group.

Eizen took some time to recall the details before he answered, "We need to stop an ambush attempt somewhere at the Danaan Highway. Apparently the ambush is targeting the Royal Medical Society."

"What exactly is this Royal Medical Society?" Rokurou wondered aloud.

"The Royal Medical Society is a group of doctors that travel around healing the sick." Laphicet elaborated.

Eizen nodded and added in, "And they're funded by donations given by the ordinary folk. So you can tell from their motives that their interest is for the well-being of the people."

"Hmm… So why would anyone attack them?" Rokurou questioned.

"Good question actually."

Velvet chose not to say anything but she had a hunch that it had something to do with the church and Nectar.

"Also, why would an underworld group defend them?" Rokurou asked.

"You sure ask a lot of questions." Magilou remarked

"Is that bad?"

"No, just something I noticed." Magilou said.

Velvet sighed and started walking, "We'll find out when we foil their ambush attempt. Let's go."

The party agreed and started moving towards the west where they could exit the Galles Lake Road and enter the Danaan Highway. It didn't take them too long and after an hour or so, they were back at the Danaan Highway. Their search for the Royal Medical Society began.

Unlike the second job where they had to search for the scholar, this third job at least had a better description of where the ambush attempt would be. But as usual, the Danaan Highway was infested with wild monsters and the occasional daemon that attacked the group, forcing them to waste a few short seconds dealing with the attack.

A short while later, the small group of five headed north of the highway and came upon a small clearing. Finally they reached their destination. At the small clearing, Velvet and the party spotted one wagon had been tilted on its side, clearly ransacked. There were some crates next to the wagon and further away were two unconscious males, presumably the doctors of the Royal Medical Society. And surrounding the doctors were three well-equipped males, presumably the bandits that had ambushed the charity group.

The three bandits noticed Velvet's group and grew hostile. "Back off if you value your lives!"

Velvet tried to intimidate them, transforming and revealing her demonic arm, "You're welcome to try."

Rokurou withdrew his twin daggers and Eizen cracked his knuckles. Laphicet and Magilou both created channeling circles beneath them, ready to unleash their respective artes.

But the three bandits weren't afraid. Instead, it just pissed them off.

"You… You…! Don't stand in the way of our food!" The three bandits screamed in unison.

The three bandits were enveloped in a dark purple aura before transforming into daemons. All three had converted into a gorilla-like daemon, commonly known as a _"Gibbon"_. The three transformed daemons growled at their enemies before charging in for a fight.

Velvet sighed, "Looks like they'll have to learn the hard way!"

Velvet engaged one of the Gibbon daemons, immediately delivering a clean cut across the daemon's chest. The daemon ignored its injury and swiped its claws at Velvet, which was met with Velvet's blade. Before the daemon could attack again, it was suddenly wrapped in icicle spikes and unable to move.

" _Final Embrace!"_

This was the work of one of Magilou's artes and for the daemon, it was over. The spikes of ice then exploded, instantly killing the daemon.

The second and third daemon was both battling with Eizen and Rokurou respectively. Laphicet was planning on supporting the two adults, but to his surprise they finished their opponents quickly. Eizen gave no mercy, throwing the first punch and from there, the daemon never recovered as the blonde pirate followed up his attack with a multitude of blows, all landing on the daemon's face. After six or so hits, the daemon was defeated but Eizen ended it with ten straight punches before he stopped.

Rokurou ended things without much of a hassle. He dodged the daemon's claws twice and counter-attacked, cleanly slicing the daemon across its neck. It was over in an instant as the daemon coughed out blood. It collapsed on its sides, twitching and struggling to live. It died a few seconds later.

"I… didn't even get to help." Laphicet muttered, dejected.

Rokurou inspected the three dead daemons, "So… The attackers were daemons. I guess that's why they needed us to stop the attack."

"Where are the doctors?" Velvet asked, looking around. The two unconscious doctors were missing from the scene.

Magilou shrugged, "They probably took their chance and ran off. Smart of them."

Eizen approached the crates that the three bandit-transformed daemons were after. The fact that they were red in color gave him a hint of what they might contain. He opened the crates and found several bottle of potions. The liquid inside the bottle were blue in color.

Eizen pulled out one of the bottles and showed it to the group, "Appears they were after this stuff."

"…Medicine with the Cathedral's seal." Velvet said. Indeed on the bottle was the seal of the church.

"Wonder why they were after this stuff." Rokurou said, "They looked pretty desperate."

"I think I know why." Velvet stated.

"You do?"

"All three of our jobs have been linked with one another. They weren't a coincidence. I'm sure the old lady did it on purpose."

Rokurou's eyes widened, impressed. He didn't really see the whole picture though, "If you say so. At least we've finished all the jobs. Let's get back to the old lady's tavern! I need a break and a good drink."

When Rokurou mentioned his desire to have drinks, Laphicet automatically thought of what he wanted from the tavern – Mabo Curry! And as if to emphasize his thoughts, his stomach growled noisily.

"O-Oh…" Laphicet covered his stomach, trying to mask the noise he was making.

Rokurou laughed, "You really like that Mabo Curry, don't you?"

"Hehe… I-I guess…?"

"Right. Let's not waste any time. We're heading back to Loegres." Eizen addressed the group.

With all three jobs accomplished, the group started on their journey to return to Loegres, capital of the Midgand Empire.

* * *

 **Skit: The Roles in a Team  
Present: Velvet, Laphicet, Rokurou, Eizen & Magilou**

 **Laphicet: … *Sighs***

 **Rokurou: Hm? What's the matter? You're gloomier than usual.**

 **Laphicet: Am I actually useful?**

 **Rokurou: Huh? What brought this on?**

 **Laphicet: It's just that earlier, you all defeated those three daemons without my help. You can cut down any enemy, and Eizen can beat them up. Velvet is strong too and can eat anything. And even now, Magilou has powerful artes to help.**

 **Velvet: What?**

 **Laphicet: …But for me, I'm not good at fighting. And apparently, I'm always gloomy…**

 **Rokurou: Is that what's bothering you?**

 **Eizen: You've already helped us plenty of times, Laphicet. You just never thought you were.**

 **Laphicet: Huh?**

 **Eizen: In a fight, offense alone isn't everything. Hurting your foes means nothing if you don't live to tell the tale afterwards.**

 **Rokurou: Basically, you play a support role in the team. Your healing artes and barriers allows us to fight at our best.**

 **Velvet: They're right. Besides, Magilou only helped recently. Before that, she's been nothing but dead weight. You've helped us plenty of times in the past.**

 **Magilou: Wait, what?!**

 **Eizen: So don't worry about it. We all have a role in the team. Just because you play a supporting one doesn't make you any less important.**

 **Laphicet: Okay! *Thinks* Then, what role did Ludger, Jude and Milla play?**

 **Eizen: Um… I… I don't really…**

 **Rokurou: That's easy. Ludger's the chef, Jude's the doctor and Milla… Milla's basically like Velvet, just not as scary.**

 **Velvet: What was that?!**

 **Laphicet: Ohhh… Okay, I understand! *Leaves***

 **Velvet:** _ **"Just not as scary."**_ **?! What's that supposed to mean?!**

 **Rokurou: *Laughs* I'm just telling him as it is!**

 **Eizen: …..**

* * *

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Back at Loegres, Ludger, Jude and Milla managed to stay hidden from the Exorcists searching for them. They were currently using an abandoned storehouse as their hiding spot. They would stay inside until the situation had cooled down a bit and the Abbey lowered their red alert status.

"Jude, Milla… Thanks for saving me." Ludger said gratefully to his friends.

"We're glad you're okay." Milla replied.

"Ludger, about what happened... Is Artorius the catalyst?" Jude asked.

Ludger thought back to what happened and nodded, "No doubt about it. He's the divergence catalyst."

Jude groaned and could feel an impending headache approaching, "So our target is the savior of the world… The leader of the Abbey… This isn't going to be easy."

Ludger hesitated and then said, "Also, I think this whole time, we were wrong about this being a whole new world. I think we're still in the same world – a fractured dimension but the same world."

Now this got both Milla and Jude's attention.

"What do you mean?" Milla asked.

"I don't know his name, but someone Artorius trusts knows about the Kresnik clan. That means either the Kresnik clan exists here, or a Kresnik agent may have come to this dimension before."

"…They know about the Kresnik clan?" Jude repeated.

"And that's not the only thing that's been bugging me." Ludger continued, "Velvet, Seres, Rokurou and Eizen… All of them always assume Milla's Great Four are malakhim until we tell them they're different. It makes me wonder if maybe… They are somehow related?"

"Now that you say this, I also feel there _is_ a connection." Jude remarked, "This world's Captain Aifread could be the same pirate Aifread in Rieze Maxia."

"But if they are the same person, what does that mean?" Milla questioned.

"There's no way to tell, but I have two guesses." Jude said, "One: Maybe just like Rieze Maxia and Elympios, there is some barrier separating our two worlds. It could be that Aifread explored the seas and somehow entered our world and later found a way to return to his world."

"We need to find Eizen's captain and ask him then." Ludger said.

Jude nodded before he resumed, "Two: Just like Ludger said, our world is actually the same. But it could be that this world is either far off into the future, or a distant past. If it's from the past, then it could be thousands or even millions of years before our time because Rieze Maxian history has no mention of any of these cities."

"Elympios doesn't either." Ludger added.

A short silence ensued with the trio. This new revelation was something for them to consider. What they really wanted to know was why someone in this world knew of the Kresnik clan. This could either mean the Kresnik clan exists in this world or an agent entered this world before and failed to find and destroy the divergence catalyst.

Milla shook her head and looked at her two companions, "Stop. There's no point grasping at questions where we have no clear answers. For now, we need to figure out our next move."

Ludger nodded, "Well, Artorius is our target. Let's wait for things to cool down and we'll strike the villa again. They won't expect us to be crazy enough to strike the villa a second time."

Jude nodded, "Right. We'll do this at night. Milla and I are already familiar with the interiors."

It was decided then. Once the sun set, they would strike the Abbey's headquarters once more in search of Shepherd Artorius, the divergence catalyst.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Inside Loegres Villa, Artorius Collbrande was on his way to meet with the legate Melchior. He wanted to do this earlier, but he had to oversee the damage the villa sustained as well as provide morale support to the injured Exorcists. He was the leader, their Shepherd. After an hour or so, he could finally make his way towards Melchior's chambers.

On his way, he bumped into praetor Teresa. He was actually hoping to find her.

"Teresa, when your brother returns, tell him to depart for the Empyrean's throne. I and legate Melchior will be leaving first." Artorius said.

"Lord Artorius?"

"It's for the ritual tonight."

Teresa remembered then. The ritual for the Empyrean Innominat. Only high-ranking Exorcists would be there, so she was proud that her brother was called for.

"Of course, Lord Artorius! I'll be sure to let him know." Teresa said with a slight bow.

Artorius nodded and continued on, walking past her, "While I'm gone, you will be in charge of the Villa, Teresa."

Before Artorius could get too far, Teresa turned around, "Lord Artorius, what if those three interfere with the ritual? We don't know what they're after. They might strike the temple where you're at."

Artorius stopped in his tracks for a second, and then continued on, "There is no need to worry about that. We've already used artes to set up a barrier. Only Exorcists with four greater malakhim can pass through."

Actually Teresa didn't know that. After all, while the Exorcists are aware of the ritual going on tonight, only the high-ranking Exorcists were given the details. Teresa was not told of this barrier. She wanted to ask the Shepherd more questions but he was already gone.

Teresa took a deep breath, "I still need to continue with the search for those three that attacked the Villa. Lord Artorius still trusts me enough to put me in charge of the Villa in his absence."

With Teresa accepting her new role, Artorius finally arrived at his destination. The fact that Melchior did not bother assisting when the Villa was attacked earlier told the Shepherd that the research on the _Kresnik_ name was far more important. Even for the usual calm Shepherd, he was anxious to find out what Melchior has learned.

Artorius entered Melchior's chambers and found the legate on a chair, engrossed on a particular book. The Shepherd noticed the bookshelves that were usually neat and tidy had books scattered all across the floor. Melchior must have searched for the one particular book extensively.

"Melchior, have you learned anything of the Kresnik name?" Artorius asked the elder legate.

"…I have." Melchior answered, closing the book and walking towards the Shepherd.

"So what do you know?"

"When I first read of the Kresnik clan, I thought of it as nothing but a fairytale. A myth." Melchior walked past Artorius and towards the door, "Come. I will tell you everything of what I know on the way to the temple. Then you will realize that man we caught, Ludger Kresnik, is a threat to our world."

Artorius blinked and followed the elder legate. It was time to discover what the fate of their world would be with the appearance of a Kresnik descendant.

 **CHAPTER END**


	14. CHAPTER 14: REVELATION

**A/N: Hey guys! I bring to you all the new update for this story. I know it's been more than two weeks and I apologize for the delay. Oh and sorry to say, but there are no skits for this chapter :(  
Let me get to responding to the reviews!**

 **Gravenimage: It's true that Velvet didn't want anyone else getting Artorius but her, but she doesn't know, huhu**

 **gundam 09: Pretty soon actually**

 **version15: I was wondering how come you didn't review chapter 12 as you tend to review most new chapter. But I recall the notification not popping up when that chapter was uploaded, so understandable :3**  
 **-I'm glad you took note of that. I'm definitely trying to keep the ToX characters power in-check, especially to Ludger's Chromatus and Milla access to the Great Four. And for the Kresnik clan, read on!**

 **Tony Anderson: Glad you enjoyed it :)**

 **RSBCS: No problems, totally understandable. I just thought you were busy and uploaded the new chapter after two days of not knowing your current status.**  
 **-Yeah I never intended for Jude to die in that chapter, so I fixed the description for that. And yes, Ludger Chromatus at level 3 basically only makes him equal to Artorius, and this is when Artorius could only use his left arm.**  
 **-Oscar so far has the same role in the story but I have also made him more impactful as you have seen in previous chapters. I just felt the game really didn't utilize this character as much as they could have, considering he was actually seen in the opening fighting against Velvet.**

 **Forgotten64: Ah yes, even I didn't really enjoy too much about this part of the game. I mean, having to complete these 3 requests just to progress the story, but with the addition of the ToX cast, I was able to skip some of that by switching to the ToX POV.**  
 **-Interesting theory. I will say that you're quite close and you have some of the idea of what I'm trying to put here, but not exactly accurate either. Regardless, I liked your theory. This chapter reveals a hint of sorts for the link between this world and ToX world.**

 **Ace101Mega: And here you go, your new dose of a new chapter :D**

 **Riku Uzumaki: Indeed. This chapter will actually hint as to what the connection is between ToB world and ToX world. It's of course not obvious, but if you can scratch out the surface, you might be able to figure out how these two worlds are linked.**  
 **-But yes, the Kresnik clan definitely had an impact in this world. You'll see how in this chapter.**

 **RedRat8: Ah, I get what you mean now. Thanks for clarifying for me. Well, let's not jump to conclusion. It's true that Ludger's goal = destruction, but you never know. Then again, I'm probably going for an ass-pull at this rate, lol**

 **Cosmo: No. If Velvet kills Artorius, that will just mean the divergence catalyst will simply latch on to the next thing. According to ToX2, that's how the catalyst moves from one to the next.**

 **chronotimeguard: Well you're actually not wrong. If the ToB cast finds out their goal, no doubt they would be seen as villains. It's actually far worse than Artorius's goals to be fair.**  
 **-Fair point. Velvet doesn't care, but I'm sure Eizen and the others will try to stop the ToX cast for this. Of course this is assuming they find out the ToX cast goals**

 **Ultimabuster: Thanks! I'm glad you're really enjoying this story. It's been a pleasure to write and have you guys tell me your thoughts on the progress of the story. It means a lot!  
-There's not much to it really. Artorius is the catalyst, that's just basically it. But as you said, I like to have readers think of where I'm going with the story and your theories. It's really fun to read.**

 **Roxas Blaze: Good to hear that you enjoyed the previous chapter. This chapter will have some nice reveals, so look forward to that! Hehe**

 **Well that's it for responding to reviews. I hope you guys will enjoy this new chapter and do let me know your thoughts of the new chapter or how the story is coming along. Till next time!**

 **CHAPTER 14: REVELATION**

When Oscar and Eleanor arrived at the capital with the fifteen elite Exorcist soldiers from Port Zekson, instantly they could tell something was amiss. The citizens of the capital looked frightened and confused, which was the complete opposite when they departed from Loegres a couple hours earlier. But what the two praetors found odd was that they could see several different groups of Exorcist soldiers patrolling the streets.

The sight of Exorcist soldiers patrolling the streets, as if searching for a target, definitely rang alarm bells for Oscar and Eleanor. Normally, only a few Exorcists would be stationed in certain areas of the capital with the majority at Loegres Villa. So seeing several squads of Exorcist soldiers scavenging through the capital's streets meant that something had happened for the city to be on high alert.

"What's going on?" Eleanor muttered softly and turned to Oscar, "What do you think happened here?"

Oscar shook his head, "Let's hurry back to the Villa. We can find out more there."

However, the two young and talented praetors were not prepared for what they found.

There were visible signs of damage on the walls of the Loegres Villa and even medium-sized crater on the eastern wall. Oscar and Eleanor could also see the surrounding compound of the Villa had some burnt marks and the ground just torn asunder. And finally the pair also noticed that there were a large number of Exorcist soldiers stationed around the perimeter, which was highly unusual.

Oscar and Eleanor thus came to one simple conclusion – someone or something had actually attacked the Abbey's headquarters!

"Oscar! You've returned!"

Oscar turned to the familiar voice and saw his sister at the entrance of the Villa. He moved quickly towards her. Eleanor dismissed the elite Exorcist soldiers that accompanied them to Port Zekson before catching up with Oscar.

"Sister, what happened here?" Oscar asked.

Teresa's expression turned sour, "It was _'them'_. They attacked the Villa."

"Them?"

"You mean the ones from Hellawes?" Eleanor guessed.

Teresa nodded as her answer. Oscar was flabbergasted. Since he and Eleanor encountered Velvet and three of the others, as well as the fact that Ludger had been captured, it meant that the perpetrators of the attack were Jude and Milla.

Oscar shook his head, still in disbelief, "Those two…? Those two attacked the Villa?"

Again, Teresa nodded.

"They must have wanted to try and rescue their friend Lord Artorius captured." Eleanor concluded, "What were they thinking? No matter how skilled they are, attacking the headquarters of the Abbey is just suicide!"

Teresa looked away, "That guy, Ludger…Those two managed to rescue him."

Oscar and Eleanor failed to register Teresa's words.

"…What?" Eleanor muttered, clearly confused.

"Sister, what do you mean?" Oscar asked. When Teresa did not answer, he spoke again, "You cannot actually be serious about what you just said. Attacking the Villa with just two people… And also, Lord Artorius and legate Melchior were present as well. They couldn't have – "

"Ludger used his transformation powers. With it, he managed to go against Lord Artorius on equal grounds!" Teresa interrupted. This new piece of revelation completely shocked both Oscar and Eleanor.

"So someone was actually able to fare against Lord Artorius's swordsmanship?" Eleanor said in disbelief. In the Abbey, it was common knowledge that Lord Artorius's skills with the sword were second to none.

Oscar refused to accept it, "But if Ludger was occupied with Lord Artorius, what were the rest doing? They could have assisted Lord Artorius!"

"You warned us about the golden-haired woman before… Brother, you were right." Teresa replied as she recalled what happened, "She was able to command her four malakhim with ease. No matter how many of us tried to stop her, we couldn't get near her. We just couldn't do anything."

"So those three escaped and are somewhere in the city then." Eleanor said, "So that explains why there are so many regular Exorcists around the capital. They're searching for them."

Teresa nodded, "They won't get away with this. Lord Artorius has entrusted me with finding them. I'm also in charge of the Villa while he and legate Melchior are away."

Now this was a new piece of information for Oscar and Eleanor.

"Lord Artorius and legate Melchior aren't here? Where did they go?" Oscar asked his sister.

"They have gone to the Empyrean's Throne for the ritual. Oh, Lord Artorius also requested for you to meet him there."

"What about me?" Eleanor asked.

"He made no mention of you." Teresa said quickly, disregarding Eleanor.

Oscar faced his sister, "That's right… They're performing the ritual tonight. I almost forgot. I guess I should make a move. I also need to report to Lord Artorius about the outcome of our mission at Port Zekson."

"Be careful on your way there, Oscar." Teresa said.

A warm smile grew on Oscar's lips, "Don't worry sister. I always do. You be careful too. Those three are still somewhere in the capital. Please, proceed with caution."

Oscar turned around and walked away. Even though he was rather fatigued after just returning to Loegres, he was the type of person to put his duty above his own well-being. Besides, this was another of Lord Artorius's personal request. It wasn't an exaggeration to label this as the highest honor for the savior of the world to personally call for your presence.

Teresa entered the Villa, leaving Eleanor behind. Eleanor was about to follow when she saw Oscar had stopped walking and gestured at her to come to him.

"What is it?" Eleanor asked upon reaching Oscar.

"I apologize for having to ask this of you, but I need you to conduct some research on the origins of the Nectar supply that Velvet and her companions destroyed at Port Zekson." Oscar said, "I doubt they'd do something pointless like that. If you figure out some sort of link with their actions, then I believe you might be two steps ahead of them."

Eleanor agreed, "Yes. I'll start working on it right away. I'll figure out their objective!"

Oscar nodded, "Good luck… And be careful."

Oscar turned around and walked, this time without turning back. After he was gone, Eleanor also made a move to begin her investigation on the Nectar supply at Port Zekson.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Twenty minutes after Oscar departed from Loegres for the Empyrean's throne, Velvet and her crew arrived back at the capital. Thanks to the travel documentation provided by the shadow guild, they managed to enter the city without any incident.

The first thing Velvet and her group noticed was the abundance of Exorcist soldiers patrolling the streets. It was almost like the capital was on a state of high-alert. Velvet also took note that the townspeople generally looked afraid of something and the atmosphere around the capital definitely felt off.

Rokurou scratched the back of his head, "What happened here? There're Exorcists everywhere! I don't recall the place being so rowdy."

"We can find out from listening to what the people have to say." Eizen said, "Asking them openly will draw suspicion to us. We need to avoid attention."

"Good idea." Velvet said.

So while the small party walked through the streets to reach the tavern of the shadow guild, they kept an open ear. Most of the townsfolk didn't share anything useful, some simply saying that everything would be fine so long as the Abbey was here to protect them while others merely talked about trivial matters that did not concern the current situation.

Then when the group arrived at the central district, they picked up on something from two young men talking with each other. One was blonde and the other black-haired.

"So is it true what everyone's saying? That some terrorists attacked the Villa?" The blonde male asked his friend.

The black-haired friend shook his head, "From what I heard, apparently it was daemons that attacked the Abbey's headquarters. They managed to sneak in and targeted the Abbey's home base."

"Daemons?! How'd they get in?!"

"Your guess is as good as mine." The black-haired male said, "What makes it worse is that I heard it was the same daemons that burned down Hellawes and destroyed that sea fortress up north. If those daemons are the same one that attacked the Villa, then no wonder the capital's on high-alert now."

"Oh man, I hope they find and capture those daemons soon. It's dangerous if they're still on the loose."

The black-haired man said something else to his friend but Velvet and the group were too far away to listen. But the small exchange they heard was enough to give them an idea about what happened while they were gone.

"So someone actually attacked the Villa? Isn't that the Abbey's headquarters?" Rokurou questioned.

"Yes, it is." Laphicet answered.

"Heh, that's pretty damn impressive."

"Well, I have a pretty good idea of who orchestrated the attack." Magilou remarked. After all, her original plan was to actually watch them before finding out about Bienfu.

Eizen actually smirked, "Jude and Milla actually attacked the Abbey's headquarters to rescue Ludger… I don't know whether they're crazy or just monsters."

"And with the Abbey out here in the streets, it looks like they managed to escape too. They're hunting for them." Velvet pointed out. Eizen agreed with that assessment.

Laphicet didn't say anything but he had a smile on his face. He was just glad to hear that Ludger, Jude and Milla were safe.

The topic died there but then Magilou raised another one, "But still, looks like you guys are really causing a stir. Word's already spread to the people about how you lot burned Hellawes and ransacked Vortigern."

"Considering how bold we've been, it was merely a matter of time before we started getting a reputation." Eizen said, "If anything, the people have been fairly calm about it until the attack on the Villa."

"Just wait until we've killed the world's _'savior'_. Then we'll see if they'll still remain calm." Velvet said in spite.

Rokurou chuckled, "Sounds like fun."

After that, the group continued on towards the tavern. Other than the unusually high number of Exorcist soldiers patrolling the streets of the capital, there was nothing out of the ordinary. So long as they didn't do anything suspicious, the Abbey would never suspect them. They looked like ordinary humans, with the exception of Velvet's left arm and Rokurou's right eye. Of course both of their demonic traits were hidden.

A few minutes later, they arrived at the tavern and entered the guild's establishment. Not surprising, the old lady was expecting them. Most likely one of her agents had informed her of Velvet's group success.

"Welcome back. I thank you for your hard work." The old lady said to the group. Her eyes then flew to Laphicet, "How does Mabo Curry sound to you? I also have our specialty peach pie on hand…"

Laphicet looked excited at the mere mention of Mabo Curry, but he never got to answer.

"We had a deal. Spill it." Velvet demanded. Laphicet looked disappointed.

The old woman nodded, turning serious, "Shepherd Artorius has gone north. Up the Danaan Highway, at the Abbey's newest temple: The Empyrean's Throne. He is expected to be there for a while. I take it you have heard of this new temple?"

Eizen nodded, "A fisherman at Port Zekson gave us some hints, yeah."

"Good. That saves me the time of having to tell you about the temple."

"Are they relocating there or something?" Rokurou asked.

The old lady turned to the black-haired daemon, "In a sense, yes. They're holding a ritual to move the seat of the Empyrean Innominat."

Velvet folded her arms on her chest, "Innominat… In other words, the Abbey's new God."

"It is a very serious affair, so I imagine the legate Melchior will be there, along with other high-ranking Exorcists. It won't be easy."

"High-ranking Exorcists…" Rokurou repeated, "That suits us fine. I might even find _him_ there."

"That will do." Velvet said to the old lady, "We'll find some way to strike the temple."

"Perhaps… But be aware with Shepherd Artorius there, no doubt the Throne will be on high alert."

"We'll manage somehow."

The old lady shook her head, "No, you won't. You may be able to fool the guards, but there's no tricking the barrier they've put up."

"Barrier?" Eizen questioned.

"Yes. They've used artes to erect a giant wall keeping outsiders away."

Velvet went into deep thought for a moment. Then she looked at the old lady, "But they have to get through themselves. That implies some sort of key, right?"

The old woman nodded, "Yes. In fact, one of our people is looking into that as we speak. However…"

"Let me guess. It'll cost us." Velvet interjected.

"You learn quickly." The old woman replied and placed a small piece of paper on the bar, "…And here's the bill."

Velvet picked up the paper and read its contents. However unlike their previous arrangement, this time the cost for the guild's services only required them to accomplish one task. But reading the details on the job's objective, even Velvet felt this was a huge spike in terms of difficulty and impact.

Rokurou was next to Velvet and read the contents on the paper. "Assassinate High Priest Gideon of the Midgand Cathedral? Okay, now we're REALLY not being nice."

Velvet put the paper away, "Consider the job done."

"Confident, aren't you?" The old woman said with a grin, "I should warn you that approaching the High Priest won't be easy – especially since the capital is now on high alert."

"Now that you mentioned it, mind telling us exactly what happened at the Villa?" Rokurou asked.

The old woman turned to Rokurou, "Ah, so you at least know the reason why the capital's on high-alert was because of an attack on the Abbey's headquarters."

"We already have an idea of what occurred, but we'd appreciate it if you could tell us in detail what actually happened." Eizen said, "Unless this means it'll cost us as well."

The old lady shook her head, "Don't worry. There won't be any price for this."

"So what happened?" Velvet inquired. She didn't want to admit it, but even she was curious.

"Basically, your two friends from the other world orchestrated an assault on the Villa to rescue their companion that was captured earlier. Unfortunately, I don't have the details of how he got captured. None of my agents were at the scene. Regardless, assaulting the Villa with only the two of them should have been suicide for ordinary people – but I guess you know those two are far from normal."

"So Milla and Jude really launched an attack? Just the two of them?" Rokurou said with an excited tone.

"Heh, sounds like I really missed something good." Magilou said with a whistle.

The old woman continued, "The golden-haired young lady, Milla, used herself as a distraction. After all, she possesses four of those malakhim beings with her, so you can imagine that none of the regular Exorcists could even get close to her. Your other friend, Jude, infiltrated the Villa and rescued Ludger. I believe Shepherd Artorius himself tried to prevent their escape, but they slipped past his grasp. I must say, those three sure know how to cause a stir in the capital."

Now that it was confirmed that Ludger really was safe, Laphicet released a sigh of relief. Before that, it was merely speculation so he was glad that Ludger, Jude and Milla were safe.

Eizen sighed, "Well, it's good to hear that they're fine, but they just made the situation harder for everyone. It's not going to be any easier for us now."

"Doesn't matter. We'll get it done regardless." Velvet said.

The old lady smiled, "I admire your determination, but aren't you going to ask why you have to kill a high priest?"

"…I imagine it's because he's the one controlling the Nectar supply." Velvet answered, "The church is the sole producer and distributor of a highly addictive substance. They rake in huge profits, while the common man, along with your people, suffer for it. Does that cover it?"

"You noticed your tasks were related. Well done."

Velvet already guessed the tasks were connected by the time they rescued that kidnapped scholar at the Galles lake road. Destroying the Nectar supply crippled the church's supply, rescuing the scholar who was mining vermilion ore that was an addictive substance as well as foiling the ambush attempt set up by the church to prevent the doctors from the Royal Medical Society – all of this built up to their new mission: Assassinating the high priest.

"That was the real test, wasn't it?" Velvet inquired.

The old woman nodded, "And you passed. No matter how skilled you are, you have to know more than to swing a sword to earn my trust."

"Don't misunderstand my intentions. I'm willing to do anything if it brings me to Artorius. I ditched my scabbard long ago."

"…I see. So you are the embodiment of a bare blade." The old lady shifted her gaze to the entire group, "Now that you've earned my trust, a more formal introduction is in order. I am Tabatha Baskerville, leader of the Bloodwing Butterflies."

Velvet finally relaxed herself, "I'm Velvet. Now tell me about the high priest."

"Each evening, he prays for protection from calamity at the Villa on the Castle Loegres grounds. Tradition holds that the high priest should be alone for the prayer. That would seem the best time to strike."

"…The Villa? You mean the Abbey's headquarters that was just attacked?" Eizen questioned.

"Yes. Now that the capital is on high-alert, you can imagine infiltrating the Villa won't be so easy."

Velvet shifted her posture, "I doubt you're telling us all of this if you haven't found a way in."

Tabatha couldn't help but smile, "Correct."

"So how do we get in?"

Once again, Tabatha took out something from her pocket and placed it on a table. Velvet picked it up, waiting for an explanation.

"So long as you have that insignia with you, allies of the Bloodwings will offer you their aid." Tabatha explained, "You'll find one of our agents around the castle grounds. Approach him, and he'll show you the way in."

"We'll hold up our end. Just find out the key to slip through the barrier."

"I suggest you all rest up until nightfall. You must be exhausted after completing the three jobs, and it'll be easier for you to sneak into the Villa at night. The tavern's free for you to rest until then."

Eizen nodded in agreement, "We'll take you up on your offer."

Tabatha smiled, "Very well. You may use the room upstairs."

"That's great! I'm exhausted…" Magilou whined as she climbed up the stairs. Rokurou followed closely behind, eager to recover his fatigue before their mission in a few hours.

"I'll head on up then." Velvet announced and then looked at the young malak, "Laphicet, what're you going to do?"

"I… I'll rest too!" Laphicet responded.

Velvet nodded and glared at Eizen. The blonde pirate just shook his head but Velvet understood it as _'You go on ahead'_. With that, she climbed up the stairs to the second floor with Laphicet following her. So basically the whole party retired in their respective rooms for the day. Only Eizen remained downstairs with Tabatha, leader of the Bloodwing Butterflies.

Eizen took a seat at the bar and without ordering anything, Tabatha poured the blonde pirate a drink. Eizen thanked the old woman with a nod before taking a big gulp of the drink. Tabatha refilled Eizen's drink but he didn't drink again. The two just stared at one another, neither saying a word.

It was Eizen that finally broke the silence, "Have you learned anything new about the Captain?"

"Very little I'm afraid." Tabatha answered, "We know for a fact that Captain Aifread was on the prison island for a period of time. And it's true that Melchior took him away. However, I'm afraid that is where the trail grows cold."

"I see… Well, in any case, we can be sure that the Abbey has him captive."

"But what could they possibly want with him?" Tabatha questioned, "If their aim is merely to fight piracy, they'd publicly execute him or try to lure you out, would they not?"

"And yet they've done neither. Total silence."

"I wonder… Could it be they want to get their hands on the relic some say Aifread brought back from the far continent?"

Eizen didn't respond to that but he was surprised that Tabatha knew about it. No actually it wasn't surprising that she knew but what he found disturbing was if the Abbey captured his Captain based on that fact. He hoped that wasn't the case.

Eizen decided to answer Tabatha's question vaguely, "It's possible. There was a certain relic that the Captain was curiously taken with. Kept it safe."

"What was it?"

"That's our business. I'll speak no more of it." Eizen replied and took a quick sip of his drink before continuing, "But if that's truly what they're after, I highly doubt the Villa is where they're keeping him locked up."

"Most likely not." Tabatha responded in agreement, "If that's where your Captain was being held, then your three friends wouldn't have so easily assaulted the Villa and escaped with their lives. No, the fact that the Abbey was caught by surprise from the attack shows that they weren't expecting an attack to begin with."

"Indeed."

"At any rate, I thank you for sharing what secrets you could." Tabatha said.

Eizen nodded and a short silence grew between the two. Tabatha could tell there was something else Eizen wanted to talk about.

"Is there something else you wish to know?" Tabatha asked the blonde pirate.

Eizen looked directly at the old lady, "About last time… You knew Ludger, Jude and Milla are from another world. Does that mean you know something about their world? Or have you met someone that's from another world?"

"So that's what you wish to ask." Tabatha said before turning silent. After several seconds, she spoke again, "I can only say that the guild only has an _idea_ of what the other world might be. As for your second question, I am only answering you because you shared with me disclosed information about your Captain."

"…So what is it?"

"I personally have not, but the guild has recorded interacting and dealing with individuals that the guild claims to be ' _from another world'_. I am not sure if it's the same with your friends, but every of these individuals share a common goal – they wish to find and destroy a divergence catalyst."

"A divergence catalyst?"

"Correct. Unfortunately, that is something even our guild does not know what it is. I assume it is something from their world."

"There must be more of what you're not telling me."

Tabatha couldn't help but grin, "There is plenty more that I am not telling you. I've only told you the surface. But if you wish to know more, then as I've said before, you must complete jobs for me in return. And let me assure you that the number of tasks required for the answers you seek is much more than Velvet's request."

"I see…"

"If you really wish to know about the other world, here are the list of jobs I need accomplished." Tabatha said, handing Eizen a piece of paper.

Eizen read the contents and saw that the jobs required were six in total. And from the job title, none of them would be easy. With the number of tasks and difficulty of each, no doubt that the secret of the other world was something that the Bloodwing Butterflies did not want to share so willingly.

"I'll consider it." Eizen answered, putting the piece of paper inside one of his pockets.

Tabatha nodded and the two shared a moment of silence. Eizen took a gulp of his drink and the old woman poured him another.

XXXXX

Several hours later, night soon came to Loegres. Velvet woke up from her nap and exited her room, climbing down the stairs to the ground floor. There she found that everyone else was already waiting for her – including Magilou.

"You're coming?" Velvet questioned.

"Definitely. Things are just far too interesting to leave me out of it." Magilou replied with a smirk.

"So long as you aren't a liability, I don't care what you do."

"Liability? Please! I've been in the Villa before, you know. _'How useful to have Magilou along,'_ they said in the future."

Eizen stepped in, "Come on. Let's move out."

Velvet nodded, "Right. We need to look for someone with a red scarf."

As Velvet and the party prepared to move, Tabatha called out from behind the bar, "I wish you luck in your mission."

The party exited the tavern and for the first time saw how the capital city was like in the darkness of the night. Unlike the daytime, the capital was quiet and only very few city guards could be seen. There were no sign of Exorcist patrols either. This probably meant they have given up for the day after hours of searching for the culprits with no results.

Velvet and the party headed towards the Villa and upon arriving at the compound, they could see that the damage the area suffered from Jude and Milla's assault. Rokurou couldn't help but feel a bit of regret he wasn't part of the fun.

Velvet and Eizen spotted some of the city guards watching the perimeter but none of them had a red scarf on him. Then they saw one in particular to the far west, which was rather isolated. Around his neck was a red scarf. They found their target.

The group approached this guard with a red scarf and when the guard noticed the group approaching him, he stood at attention.

"Let's see your papers." The guard said to Velvet's group. Velvet took out the insignia that Tabatha had given to her earlier, showing it to the guard. The guard nodded, "Checks out."

The guard, who was most likely an agent of the Bloodwing Butterflies, stepped back to reveal a manhole beneath him.

"This tunnel over here connects to the castle and the Villa. You just need to find the right path and it should get you inside." The city guard explained.

The party thanked the undercover agent and making sure none of the city guards were watching, opened the manhole and climbed down the tunnels, entering the secret passage known as the Barona Catacombs.

Surprisingly, the secret passage had some sources of light on the walls, most likely an arte of some kind. Also the passages were wide and go rather deep, so it wasn't going to be a simple walk in the park for them. It would actually take some time to find the right way to get into the Villa.

Rokurou stretched to get himself going, "All right, onward and inward! Everyone, tread carefully. We don't know what we might find here."

The party moved forward and turns out Rokurou's words rang true. Only ten minutes have passed when, to everyone's surprise, there were some daemons lingering about in the passage. When the daemons spotted the party, they immediately jumped at the outsiders. Of course Velvet and the crew didn't have any hard time dealing with them, especially now that Magilou actually had access to her artes and simply blew away the group of daemons in a second.

It was only a short battle and Magilou sighed, "Well what do you know? The Abbey is supposed to be protecting the people from daemons, but there are daemons right under their noses!"

Rokurou had to agree, "Abbey security is certainly lacking here. I mean, the whole point of building those massive walls around the city is to keep the people safe inside."

"But if there's a daemon outbreak on the inside, those same walls will make it harder for everyone to escape." Eizen pointed out.

"The palace covers a lot of ground, so there are tons of hiding places." Laphicet said, "It wouldn't be hard for a daemon to slip in through the waterway."

"I'm sure the Abbey is aware of that." Magilou tried to reason, "Perhaps it's a trap to lure intruders in."

Velvet raised an eyebrow at that statement, "What, they lure daemons in and then ignore them? Something doesn't add up."

"I know, right?"

Velvet sighed, "Doesn't matter. Let's press onwards."

Magilou didn't argue and the party continued moving forward. The main problem the party faced was that the Barona Catacombs was like a maze, and now with the addition of daemons, Velvet's crew was wasting precious time trying to find the right way to get to the Villa.

After twenty minutes of battling wild daemons and still not reaching their destination, Velvet couldn't help but release a sigh. She was growing restless.

"Why so glum, Velvet?" Magilou asked with a mischievous grin, "The thought of killing a man weighing heavy even on your own damaged conscience?"

Velvet turned to the self-proclaimed witch, "Not especially. But I wonder how you can remain so flippant about it."

"Do we have to kill him?" Laphicet inquired, "Can't we just make him stop this Nectar business?"

"I don't think he'd listen to us." Rokurou said.

"Huh?"

"Word is that the high priest is a real shady character. The Abbey and the religion are popular now, but three years ago no one has heard of them." Rokurou explained, "High priest Gideon was the one who led the church through those dark days."

Eizen continued, "But once malakhim became visible to the general public, and they learned how effective malak artes were against daemons, that all changed."

Magilou smirked, "Humans are such fools, only believing what they can see with their own eyes."

Eizen nodded before resuming what he was trying to say, "And once the church had attained popular support, a nasty power struggle swept through the ranks. Many vied for the mantle of high priest. Charlatans, power-hungry converts… But they all faded away."

"They left the church?" Laphicet innocently asked.

"No they all met their maker." Rokurou corrected, "Some from diseases, others from _'accidents'._ And in the end, Gideon became high priest."

"He may be the head of the church, but the people still clamor for Shepherd Artorius." Magilou stated, "That's got to sting a little."

"Either way, if we're to face him, he might have some tricks up his sleeve. We'll need to keep our eyes open."

Velvet narrowed her eyes, "It doesn't matter who he is. We just do our job."

That ended the conversation and the party continued wandering through the passageway of the Barona Catacombs, searching for their way into the Loegres Villa.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Looks like the coast is clear. Let's hurry." Jude said to Ludger and Milla.

At the moment, the trio had just came out of their hiding spot now that things have calmed down and the Abbey had given up for the day. So despite the danger, this time their plan was to infiltrate Loegres Villa, find Shepherd Artorius and kill him. This would accomplish their mission of destroying the divergence catalyst and return to their world in the prime dimension.

Since Ludger, Jude and Milla were basically wanted criminals after openly assaulting the Abbey's headquarters, they had to sneak through the city to avoid being seen by the city guards. Jude reasoned that they probably had wanted posters of each of them now, so it was best to avoid detection and get everything done tonight.

When they arrived at the Villa's compound, they were rather surprised to see so little guards posted at the vicinity. They hid in the shadows while they surveyed their surroundings. They needed to consider their steps with caution.

"There are so little guards. Is it a trap?" Ludger wondered aloud.

Milla shook her head, "I highly doubt it. The Abbey thinks our goal was only to rescue you. Now that we have you, I don't think they'd be expecting us to return."

"So we sneak in, find Artorius and kill him." Jude said and chuckled nervously, "Simple plan… But the Shepherd isn't so easy to take down. Even if the three of us work together, I don't think we can actually beat him before the entire Abbey comes for us."

"We have to try. Things will only get harder for us the longer we delay this." Milla said.

Jude and Ludger didn't argue. It was the truth. So once the trio was ready, they began their infiltration of the Villa, completely unaware that Velvet and her group were also headed for the same destination.

XXXXXXX

"A library? This is unexpected." Velvet said.

After twenty minutes of wandering around the Barona Catacombs, Velvet and the crew had finally found their way and after climbing the ladder, they found themselves inside the Loegres Villa. From the looks of it, they have entered the Villa's library.

Laphicet looked around him and a big, wide grin grew on his face. To see this many books, he was simply shaking with excitement, "Wow!"

Magilou inspected one of the shelves and was impressed, "Well, well… Isn't THIS a rare collection of tomes. You royals sure have coffers to burn."

Magilou reached out for one of the tomes but the moment she touched it, the bookshelf suddenly started moving. This caught everyone's attention and circled around Magilou. The bookshelf that moved revealed another bookshelf behind it but the books contained in this one were larger than usual and looked much older.

Laphicet was wide-eyed at the discovery, "Oh wow! Books in the ancient tongue!"

"Can you read it?" Rokurou asked.

"W-Well, no, but… I just…"

"This has nothing to do with our job." Velvet said coldly.

Laphicet looked downwards, instantly disappointed after actually seeing tomes written in the ancient tongue. Velvet noticed this of course and with a frustrated sigh, walked up to the hidden bookshelf and randomly took out one of the tomes and forcing it on the young malak.

"H-Huh?" Laphicet muttered in confusion.

"If you want it, just take it." Velvet told the young malak, "Don't pretend to be noble. You're consorting with daemons."

Rokurou shook his head, "Good grief, Velvet. You can't lighten up for once in your life?"

"Lighten up? Did you forget we're here to kill someone?" Velvet snapped before walking towards the door of the library, ending the talk.

Eizen followed behind Velvet and told the group, "Come on, let's go. We shouldn't linger too long here."

Velvet opened the door of the library and took a peek outside. In the distance, she could see one Exorcist soldier patrolling the hallway but other than that, the coast seemed clear. Velvet waited until the Exorcist soldier went elsewhere and signaled the party to hurry, following her out.

Once they were out of the library and saw no Exorcist soldier nearby, they needed to quickly decide on a direction to go to. For that, Velvet turned to the self-proclaimed witch since she said before she had been to the Villa castle before.

"So Magilou, which way to the worship hall?" Velvet asked.

Magilou hummed playfully, feigning ignorance, "Hmm… Which way indeed?"

"Don't play games with me."

"Hey, give me some time to think, geez. I told you I've been here before, but I never said I was an EXPERT." Magilou retorted and looked left and right, trying to gather her bearings. Then suddenly, she looked to the left, "That's the way."

Velvet and the party moved in that general direction and avoided detection from the patrolling Exorcist soldiers by hiding in rooms or just waiting for the Exorcist to walk away. There were a few occasions where they had to actually swiftly and quietly knock the Exorcist unconscious since he was in their way.

After a minute or so, Magilou pointed at a particular doorway and the party entered it. Once inside, the party came upon a large hall where on the sides were rows of pews for people to sit on. On the opposite end was an altar and there, they could see a man in white robes praying before the altar. His back was facing the party.

Velvet approached the man in robes, readying her gauntlet blade, "Are you Gideon?"

"I am in prayer at the moment. Who are you?" The old man answered without even turning around. This person was no doubt the party's target, Gideon.

"So you must be Gideon, the high priest of the church." Velvet said.

"Refusing to answer? Such ill manners… But what else could I expect of a daemon?"

Gideon's statement definitely rang alarm bells amongst Velvet and the party. A few seconds later, they knew why. From behind the altar, a familiar red-haired praetor jumped out of her hiding place along with two other Exorcist soldiers. They stood between Velvet's group and the high priest.

"Stop right there!" Eleanor ordered, drawing out her weapon. The two Exorcists also drew out their swords.

Eizen moved into a defensive stance, "…An ambush."

"Is this more of your reaper's curse?" Rokurou questioned, "Or do you think the old lady sold us out?"

However Velvet knew otherwise. She looked at Eleanor and said, "You figured it out, didn't you? That he's running the Nectar operation."

"Indeed. I received reports a few hours ago about an attack on the Royal Medical Society as well about a mining operation for vermilion ore. Using those incidents as links, the trail led me all the way to high priest Gideon."

"Yet you still defend him?"

Eleanor's resolve was not shaken, "The punishment he deserves is for the Abbey to administer."

The moment he heard that, Gideon was outraged, "Punishment?! How DARE you! Do you realize how much I've done for the good of the Abbey?!"

"You can say that to Lady Teresa if you wish to speak your case." Eleanor countered.

Gideon was confused for a second and then looked at Velvet's party – or more accurately, looked at something _behind_ the party. When he saw who it was, he could feel the cold gaze of the woman who was known to administer strict punishments on those who defy the rules and laws of the Abbey. Gideon was going to face the consequences of his actions.

"Your punishment will be due _after_ I've arrested these criminals." Lady Teresa declared. She then shifted her focus to Velvet and her companions, "First you openly assault the heart of the Abbey, and NOW you plan to take the life of a high priest? You monsters!"

Velvet eyed behind her and saw the praetor Lady Teresa with several other Exorcist soldiers with her. This was actually problematic. The party's plan was to assassinate high priest Gideon, they didn't prepare for an ambush.

"Looks like we're surrounded." Rokurou said, drawing out his steel dual blades.

Velvet turned to Magilou, "…You better be useful for once."

Magilou grinned, "Oh that cold gaze… Whatever shall I do?"

"Magilou…!"

"Relax, would you? It's not like I want to get caught here too." Magilou retorted before she started channeling an arte. Magilou couldn't help but sigh. Things just got a lot more complicated.

XXXXXXX

Ludger, Jude and Milla have infiltrated the Loegres Villa ten minutes ago and have been searching for Artorius since then. They were able to avoid detection by utilizing the Great Spirits to be one step ahead of them, checking for Exorcist soldiers patrolling the hallways.

When the trio had basically searched the entire Villa and couldn't find their target, they were confused.

"What's going on? Where's Artorius?" Jude said in a low voice.

"Maybe he doesn't live here." Ludger guessed.

"Or maybe he's at the castle. We didn't consider that." Milla said.

"This isn't good. We don't know the interior of the royal castle at all." Jude said and looked at his two friends, "Do we make a gamble and –"

Jude couldn't finish what he was saying as they heard footsteps approaching. They quickly hid and saw several Exorcist soldiers headed towards a certain direction.

"The intruders are at the worship hall!" One of the Exorcist soldiers cried out, "Gather everyone and get to the worship hall!"

Ludger, Jude and Milla heard that and were perplexed. "Intruders? They don't mean us, right?" Ludger questioned.

Jude shook his head, "I don't think so. The worship hall's somewhere else. Looks like they found someone else."

"Then we'll use this to our advantage." Milla said suddenly. Before Ludger or Jude could ask her what she meant, she took action.

Milla was watching the group of soldiers running past and when the sound of their footsteps was gone, she dashed out of her hiding spot. There was one lone Exorcist soldier that was probably left behind and was trying to join the others, so Milla targeted him.

"Undine!" Milla cried out.

The Great Spirit of water acted quickly, enveloping the Exorcist soldier in a bubble of water. The Exorcist soldier was completely taken by surprise and utterly confused as to what was going on. He struggled for breath and crying out for help but his cries were only heard within the bubble of water.

Milla looked at the Exorcist, "I will give you one chance to live. Answer my questions, and I will free you from your prison."

Jude couldn't help but feel this was a mirror of when he first met Milla at Fennmont. The scene before him was rather similar, except that Milla asked him to be quiet rather than threatening his life.

The Exorcist soldier quickly nodded his head as he was running out of breath. Milla snapped her fingers and Undine obeyed, dispelling her arte. The bubble of water disappeared and the Exorcist was freed, collapsing on all fours, completely wet and gasping for air.

Milla got down on one knee and spoke to the Exorcist, "Tell us where Shepherd Artorius is."

"W-what? W-w-who are you people?! Are you the intruders?" The Exorcist soldier sputtered in dazed a state. Then it suddenly hit him, "You three are the ones that attacked the Villa in the afternoon! What are you doing here again?!"

Instead of answering, Milla silently ordered Undine to recast her arte. When the Exorcist soldier saw he was about to be enveloped in the water prison again, he remembered Milla's warning – he only had one chance.

"Wait! Please! I'll tell you! I'll tell you!"

The bubble of water stopped and Milla gestured at the Exorcist to continue. Ludger and Jude just caught up by then and listened.

"L-Lord Artorius is at the Empyrean Throne, just north off the Danaan Highway! He and a few other high-ranking Exorcists are there for a ritual. That's all I know! I swear!"

"North of the Danaan Highway…" Milla repeated and then stood up, "Good. We know where he is."

Ludger nodded, "Let's go. We shouldn't stay here any longer."

Jude and Milla agreed and hurried away. Now that the trio had their backs to him, the Exorcist soldier angrily mocked them.

"It doesn't matter if you know where Lord Artorius is!" The Exorcist screamed at the trio, "You won't even be able to even get near the Throne! The barrier only allows Exorcists with four malakhim to enter! And even then, Lord Artorius is our savior! He won't fall to the likes of you murderers!"

Ludger, Jude and Milla hurried for the exit of the Villa. Still they couldn't help but be grateful at how useful the Exorcist soldier they interrogated was. Now they learned about a barrier keeping outsiders out at the Empyrean Throne. Another hurdle for the trio.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

At the Empyrean Throne, Shepherd Artorius was meditating alone at the main chamber. The only other Exorcists that were present were legate Melchior and praetor Oscar Dragonia, both of whom were not present at the moment. Artorius wanted to be alone and requested that they check to make sure the preparations of the ritual were set.

However legate Shigure, the supposed left-hand of the Abbey, was not present. He had other matters to attend to, although Artorius knew deep down that the swordsman simply couldn't be bothered to attend such matters. The Shepherd didn't care. He only wanted Shigure's strength whenever the situation calls for it.

At the moment, Artorius's request to be alone while he meditated in peace was for two purposes. The first was indeed for preparation of the ritual. The second, he was currently replaying the talk he had with Melchior a few hours ago – the truth about their world and the outside forces: namely, the Kresnik agents.

* * *

 _From the moment Artorius left Loegres with Melchior, the older man did not say a word and the Shepherd did not pry for more. He knew Melchior would tell him what he knew about the Kresniks – it was just a matter of when._

 _It was only when they finally arrived at the Empyrean Throne that Melchior finally told Artorius what he knew._

 _Melchior turned to Artorius and started, "In my youth, I met someone I felt was different but I never knew what it was. He approached me, asking help to look for something I have never heard before."_

"… _What was he searching for?" Artorius asked._

" _He asked me if I knew where he could find a divergence catalyst. I have never heard of such a thing, so I told him I didn't know what it was or how to find it. He thanked me for my time and I never thought nothing more of it… Until I read a book."_

 _Artorius waited, not saying a word to interrupt the old man._

" _The book was a journal, but who it belonged to or when it was written, I do not know. What intrigued me was that the owner of this journal befriended someone he labeled an 'outsider'. And the name of this 'outsider' was Kresnik. And this 'outsider'… This Kresnik… told the owner of the journal that he was from another world and was actually here to destroy it. But after years of searching, the Kresnik 'outsider' gave up on his mission and lived out his life here."_

 _Artorius narrowed his eyes, "His mission was to destroy this world…?"_

 _Melchior nodded and continued, "The Kresnik revealed that his clan comes from another world and possesses a power to enter different dimensions to destroy them. They do this to preserve their own world. And their method of doing this is by seeking an object that differs the most from their world – and they call this a divergence catalyst."_

" _A divergence catalyst…? Then the person you said you met in your youth…?"_

 _Melchior nodded, "He was most likely from another world as well. And the Kresnik 'outsider' revealed that so long as a divergence catalyst exists in this world, a Kresnik agent will always enter our world seeking to destroy it. It doesn't matter how much time has passed, one WILL come. It appears that this time, the person is most likely Ludger Kresnik."_

"… _So Ludger Kresnik is seeking to destroy our world." Artorius concluded._

" _That is why when he told me his name, the puzzle suddenly fit. I understood immediately what this meant. Ludger Will Kresnik is a threat to our world. He cannot be allowed to live."_

* * *

Melchior also revealed that he had a suspicion that Artorius was the current divergence catalyst. It was no coincidence that Artorius met with Ludger first. That was why when Artorius requested to be alone, Melchior warned to be careful, for he believes Ludger and his two companions would make an appearance tonight.

"Let them come…" Artorius said to himself. "I won't let them destroy our world."

 **CHAPTER END**


	15. CHAPTER 15: SHOWDOWN

**A/N: Hey guys, I bring to you all the new update for this story. A while back, I proposed I'll be updating every two chapters on this story before going to my other story. But considering that this story is a bit more popular, I instead did a three chapter update. So after this chapter, I'll be moving on to updating the other story before returning to this one.  
And man, writing the last part of this chapter was something I've been looking forward to since I started this story. Hope I was able to depict the scene as I imagined it. **

**Anyway that was my short little announcement, now on to responding to reviewers!**

 **gundam 09: Here you go, the new chapter! :D**

 **Tony Anderson: I'm quite hype for this chapter, so I hope you'll enjoy it.**

 **version15: They were pretty close, but yeah, didn't really meet up. And yeah, Ludger now being aimed by Artorius is not pretty. This way, Artorius's sights are now on Velvet and Ludger.**

 **RedRat8: The group have been separated for a while (since chapter 10 I believe). So it's almost about time they are reunited. Read on and find out :)**  
 **-And yes, Artorius already knows the threat Ludger has on the world, so he'll definitely want to stop him.**

 **Gravenimage: We shall how it goes in the next chapter**

 **Riku Uzumaki: In a way, yes. Different agents throughout time have visited this world/dimension.**  
 **-Well the connection between the two worlds is rather vague and it's because I already have a plot in my head that I can obviously pick on it. So it's totally understandable if you did not.**

 **RSBCS: Yup, lots of things happened in the previous chapter. I really appreciate that you are very aware of certain scenes in the game that you can tell if something is missing. Hehe**  
 **-Yes, this is quite the hurdle now. The ToX cast needs to kill Artorius to return home, but that would mean destroying this world. As for Velvet, she wants to kill Artorius, which would trouble the ToX group.**  
 **-Definitely. I believe one of my friend was really disappointed about not using Alisha and for me, Oscar not being utilized as much in the game. Heck, he ever only fights two times in the game I believe, at the prison and then when he unlocked Armatization. Very little really.**

 **Ultimabuster: Yup. Not just Velvet, but anyone in this world would be crazy to let Ludger, Jude and Milla get Artorius since it will results in their world being destroyed. Right now, only Artorius and Melchior knows.  
-Yes, there are so far only two possible endings. The second ending you mentioned, they actually won't be stranded. It has been mentioned in ToX2 that when the current host of a catalyst dies, it will simply move on to the next. So in a way, the only way the ToB cast can save their world is to actually kill Ludger. Of course right now, no one knows about Ludger's intentions.**  
 **-Yes, since they're from the prime dimension, they will simply return to the prime dimension if this world is destroyed. So if anything, it's the Berseria world that's in pretty deep shit, lol**

 **Roxas Blaze: Yup, certainly quite the reveal, hehe. And as for how the story will end, it will look like it's headed towards the bad end (how could it not) but trust me, I already have the ending in my head. It's honestly might be quite an asspull, but I think it will be a really find link for a crossover story :)**  
 **-At the moment, that Kresnik doesn't hold too much importance, but since I haven't given him/her an identity, I actually might just to spice things up ;)**  
 **-Ah yes. I think my writing style is sort of inspired by the GoT TV series. Each episode, they tend to show different characters in different locations, so I like to tell different PoV if the party is separated. And I also believe giving the bad guys their own perspective adds more depth to their character.**  
 **-Well the Victor x Ludger ship can only happen once the group is back together again. And trust me, that's happening real soon, hehe**

 **Well that's it for responding to reviews. I hope you guys will enjoy this new chapter and do let me know your thoughts of the new chapter or how the story is coming along. Till next time!**

 **CHAPTER 15: SHOWDOWN**

"Out of my way!" Velvet snarled as she plunged her gauntlet blade right through an Exorcist's chest, killing him.

Loegres Villa's worship hall had transformed from a sanctuary of peace and tranquility into a bloodbath. Velvet, Eizen and the rest of the crew were desperately trying to survive against a pincer attack. From the front were Eleanor and her malakhim with a small number of Exorcist soldiers accompanying her, and the back was Lady Teresa and the large number of Exorcist soldiers she had brought along. More Exorcists were on their way.

While Velvet, Eizen and Rokurou dealt with Eleanor and the Exorcists in front of them, Magilou and Laphicet handled Teresa and the incoming Exorcist reinforcement. Laphicet mainly countered Teresa's offensive artes and Magilou focused on blasting away any Exorcists that tried got even remotely close to her.

"This is just getting annoying. They just keep coming!" Magilou cried out after she sent three Exorcists flying back, but to her dismay, a fresh batch entered the worship hall.

"You daemons truly know no bounds to your transgressions!" Teresa snapped and glared at Magilou, "But even worse, you're a human and yet you consort with daemons! Unforgiveable!"

"Fortunately I'm a witch, and I think hanging around with daemons fits my image nicely." Magilou retorted with a grin.

"Get them!" Teresa ordered.

While more Exorcist soldiers rushed into the worship hall, Velvet tried to make a break for it, dashing towards the defenseless high priest. Gideon saw his life was in danger and in panic, stumbled on his footing and fell. Velvet raised her gauntlet blade to deal the killing blow – until Eleanor interrupted, tackling the black-haired daemon to the ground.

Velvet tumbled and quickly rolled back on her feet, annoyed at the last-minute intrusion. Eleanor needed a bit more time to recover her bearings and when she did, Velvet was already on the attack, thrusting her gauntlet blade forward. Eleanor narrowly avoided death, stepping to the side but Velvet was quick, landing a quick kick across Eleanor's sides. The red-haired praetor knew she was at a disadvantage and spun around with her spear outstretched, forcing Velvet to stop her advance and bringing a temporary pause to their fight.

"Why are you stopping us?" Velvet demanded, "The high priest is corrupt and he's our target. Why defend him?"

"I already told you, the high priest's punishment is for the Abbey to administer. You are in no position to judge him!"

Meanwhile Rokurou and Eizen worked together, unleashing an attack to simultaneously defeat a group of Exorcist soldiers, taking them out of the fight. Eizen used this small breather to analyze the situation and his surroundings.

"What do we do?" Rokurou asked the blonde pirate, "There're more coming, and I don't think Laphicet and Magilou can keep them back forever."

"They're trying to wear us out. So before that happens, we need Velvet to take out the high priest so that we can escape. The longer we stay here, the lower our chances of escape are."

"…Easier said than done. Looks like that red-haired Exorcist is able to hold Velvet off on her own."

Teresa definitely noticed Velvet's companions were getting exhausted. Magilou and Laphicet were the most obvious since their artes were not as powerful as before. It wasn't a surprise after continuously using powerful artes to defeat the wave of Exorcist reinforcements. It was only a matter of time – but she couldn't wait for that. It was time for the final push!

"Lady Teresa, what are your orders?" One of the Exorcist soldiers asked.

"Surround the two arte-users first. That will cripple their defense." Teresa said.

"At once, Lady…"

The Exorcist soldier never got to finish his sentence as he was suddenly sent flying across the hall, crashed on the walls before falling on the ground. He was instantly knocked out.

Teresa turned around, "What!?"

Velvet, Eizen, Rokurou, Magilou and Laphicet all stopped what they were doing when they saw a young man next to the praetor Teresa. He was the one responsible for taking out the Exorcist soldier. And at the entrance of the worship hall, two others quickly cleared out the fresh batch of Exorcist reinforcements.

Laphicet was the first to recognize who the figure was next to Teresa. "J-Jude!"

"Y-You!" Teresa called out. It was indeed Jude Mathis. She turned to the entrance of the worship hall and sure enough, it was his two companions – Ludger and Milla.

"I'm sorry to do this, but I have to!" Jude said and threw a kick. Teresa managed to block it with her staff at the last moment but it was still enough to throw her back, her feet skidding across the floor.

After clearing out the last of the Exorcist reinforcements, Ludger turned towards Velvet's group. "That's all the help we can do! Get out while you can!"

As soon as Ludger finished saying that, he quickly ran off.

"Jude, we've done what we can. The rest is up to them. Let's go!" Milla called out. After that, she also ran after Ludger.

"R-Right!" Jude responded but before he made his escape, he looked at Velvet, Laphicet and the others. "Please, hurry and finish what you're here for!"

That was Jude's final words to Velvet's party before he disappeared from the worship hall, running after Ludger and Milla. However Teresa was not going to stand idly by and let them escape – not after how those three had openly attacked the heart of the Abbey.

"You idiots, go after them!" Teresa commanded the remaining Exorcists that weren't hurt too badly, "Those three are the ones that attacked us earlier! Don't let them escape!"

"Y-Yes! Lady Teresa!"

Immediately, several Exorcist soldiers hurriedly stormed out of the worship hall to give chase on the trio that just escaped. Teresa also followed, basically abandoning the original plan of cornering Velvet's group. Unfortunately for Teresa, this was part of Jude's plan after he realized the other group of intruders was Velvet and her companions. Jude's plan was simple – they were bait.

With praetor Teresa commanding most of the Exorcists to chase after Jude's entourage, only two Exorcists remained behind with Eleanor. The situation had completely shifted.

"Teresa, wait! Stick to the plan!" Eleanor called out but she was already long gone.

Once it was confirmed that no one else was coming in, Eizen bared his fists and said, "Looks like the tables have completely turned."

"I don't know why those three were here, but I'm glad they did what they did." Rokurou said.

Eizen nodded and turned to Velvet, "Let's end this now before more show up!"

"I'm on it!" Velvet declared.

Velvet charged towards Eleanor since she was still protecting the high priest. The two Exorcists that stayed behind tried to intercept the black-haired daemon but Rokurou and Eizen covered for Velvet, both taking out the Exorcist. Now alone, Eleanor resorted to finally summoning her two malakhim that was tethered to her.

"It doesn't matter how many you have at your side, you won't stop me!" Velvet exclaimed.

Eleanor two malakhim charged towards Velvet. Unfortunately for the pair, Velvet had enough of her time being wasted and transformed her left arm into its daemonic form. She was showing them no mercy. She opened the claws of her daemonic hand and grabbed the closest one by its face, devouring it instantly. The second malakhim hesitated but Velvet was quick and grabbed the second malakhim by its face as well, quickly devouring it. In a matter of seconds, two of Eleanor's malakhim had been consumed by the daemon.

Eleanor stepped back, completely dumbfounded, "No… how did things turn out this way?"

"…Step aside." Velvet said.

Eleanor glared at the daemon in front of her and snapped back to reality, "Never!"

Velvet growled in annoyance and dashed towards her final prey. Eleanor readied herself. Once Velvet was close enough, Eleanor thrust her spear forward but Velvet grabbed the weapon with her daemonic arm and forcefully pulled it out of Eleanor's grasp. Velvet then threw away the spear, leaving the red-haired praetor defenseless.

However instead of killing her, Velvet clenched her right fist and punched the red-haired praetor on the midsection. Eleanor gasped in pain before collapsing on her front and losing consciousness.

With the last obstacle out of the way, Velvet shifted her gaze towards her target – the high priest of the Midgand Cathedral, Gideon. With Eleanor knocked out and Teresa gone, he was alone with no one to protect him from these vile daemons.

"W-Wait!" Gideon begged, taking several steps back as Velvet approached him, "Everything I did, I did for the sake of the Abbey! We needed money to build the temple. T-That's why I sold the Nectar… I know I was wrong to produce so much of it, b-but I was only trying to help the people as best I could!"

By then, Gideon had backed into the altar and could not retreat any further. Velvet continued to slowly get closer and closer. Gideon grew desperate.

"L-Let's talk this over! Who ordered you here? Was it the sick? The doctors? Or maybe…"

Velvet reached Gideon and drew out her gauntlet blade. Gideon shrieked for his life and fell on his behind.

"W-Was it Artorius? Did Artorius send you to kill me?" Gideon asked.

Velvet didn't answer but her expression did change at the mention of the Shepherd.

Gideon took Velvet's shift in expression as his answer, "I knew it! Damn his eyes! So he wants to wipe me out of existence, is that it?"

Velvet, Eizen and the party noticed that the more Gideon spoke about Artorius, the more a purple-aura grew around him. It was almost like it was consuming the high priest.

"That bastard!" Gideon cursed, "After all the work I did for him… He dares to cast me aside?!"

Eizen's eyes widened when he finally realized what was going on. "No! Stop!"

Gideon unleashed a sharp cry and he completely absorbed the purple aura. His physical features changed and the party watched in horror as the high priest transformed into a lizard-like daemon. He resembled Dyle but his daemonic aura was much more menacing.

The daemon-transformed Gideon snarled at the party, "You won't be rid of me so easily!"

Sensing Gideon was about to make for an escape, Rokurou quickly dashed forward, drawing out his dual daggers. However as a lizard daemon, Gideon's reflexes had been enhanced and flawlessly dodged Rokurou's attacks and leaped backwards to safety. Once there was some distance between them, Gideon turned around and ran towards a door.

"After him!" Velvet ordered.

Velvet, Eizen and the rest of the crew gave chase with Velvet leading the group. They burst open the doorway that Gideon ran through and found themselves in a long corridor. There was no sign of Gideon but there didn't seem to be any other way out, so the group continued onwards, following the narrow pathway.

"So not even a high priest is immune to daemonblight." Velvet stated plainly.

"Guess he hit his limit." Magilou responded.

Eizen said nothing but he knew the true reason what had transpired with Gideon. However that was classified information amongst malakhim. Velvet, Magilou or anyone else in this group didn't have to know.

The party of five found a stairway that led downwards and with no sign of Gideon, they climbed down the staircase. However it was one of several apparently and each staircase continued bringing the group lower and lower. This continued on for one minute and the party wondered if the corridor would ever reach its end.

"GRAAAAAH!"

A daemonic scream was heard further down below. The source of the scream wasn't too far and the party quickened their pace. After another five seconds or so, the party arrived at their destination.

At the end of the corridor, the pathway had become a large, circular hall. The size of the place was probably even larger than the worship hall. But what was even stranger was that the party wasn't alone. At the center of the circular hall was a large creature that looked to be a Gryphon. And the Gryphon was feeding on the dead Gideon, pecking its large beak on the body of the high priest.

High priest Gideon was dead and strangely enough, he had returned to his human form.

"The daemon… returned to human form?" A feminine voice said with a confused tone. The party turned around and was surprised to see it was Eleanor, the red-haired praetor. She regained consciousness rather quickly.

The Gryphon unleashed a high-pitched screech before continuing to consume the dead body of the high priest.

"W-What…? What is that beast?!" Eleanor demanded but she received no answer.

After the Gryphon was finished, it once more unleashed another high-pitched roar before flapping its wings, preparing for flight. It jumped and flew upwards for a second when it suddenly crashed into an invisible force. The Gryphon squealed in pain as it crashed back downwards on the floor.

The party looked up and could see several yellow beams above them, which was probably the invisible barrier that the Gryphon crashed on. The barrier acted like a net, preventing the large creature from ever escaping.

"There's a barrier here." Eizen stated.

"So, what? The Abbey is holding this thing captive?"

"This barrier…" Velvet whispered. She remembered this. The barrier was exactly the same as the one at the prison island until Seres dispelled it for her.

Magilou looked at the dead body of the high priest and shrugged, "Seems that we've completed our little errand. The job said it wanted the high priest dead, so technically speaking, we've accomplished what we came for."

Velvet nodded, "Right. Let's get out of here and return to the tavern."

Velvet turned around only to find Eleanor in her way, pointing her spear at the group.

"What did you do to the high priest?" Eleanor demanded, "What is this daemon?!"

"…I don't know. And I don't care." Velvet answered.

"Do NOT mock me!"

"You are the mockery." Velvet replied and continued walking forward, "What do you hope to do to me without your malakhim to aid you? Even your Exorcist powers have been stolen from you."

"Hey, they were mine to begin with!" Magilou interjected but Velvet ignored her.

After Velvet's points, Eleanor's resolve weakened further. She slowly lowered her spear and once Velvet was positive Eleanor wasn't even a threat, walked past the red-haired praetor. Eleanor however did not do anything. She didn't dare to since the only thing she could rely on now was just her skills with her weapon.

Eizen, Rokurou, Laphicet and Magilou followed Velvet, walking past Eleanor. Once they were past her, they quickly broke into a run. They needed to get out of the Villa before the Exorcist soldiers returned.

With this mission's success, Velvet felt it was another one step closer to Artorius. For now, they needed to return to the tavern.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

At the central district of Loegres, Teresa and the group of Exorcists that followed her were still searching for Ludger, Jude and Milla. However with the night sky enhancing the darkness and no clue as to where the trio could have gone, it was safe to assume that they have successfully escaped from their grasp and gone into hiding.

"Curse them!" Teresa snapped, "Because of them, I let my emotions overrule my judgment. We already had that daemon cornered."

Since Teresa had ordered the Exorcist soldiers to search for the trio that escaped, she felt she could at least return to the Villa to check on Eleanor. The red-haired praetor was a skilled Exorcist, so Teresa wasn't too worried since she should be able to handle herself.

Halfway through the streets, an Exorcist captain came to meet her.

"Lady Teresa! I'm glad I've found you. I have something to report." The Exorcist captain said.

"What is it?!" Teresa asked.

"About praetor Eleanor, we abandoned her earlier in haste. She's hurt but life isn't in danger."

Teresa did realize her mistake for doing so but expressed no concern, "Eleanor is a praetor, and she should have been able to handle herself. I hope that is not what you came to tell me."

"N-No, Lady Teresa. You see, those three that just escaped the Villa… Apparently while we were occupied, they interrogated him for information. We believe the information they extracted is their goal."

"What did you learn? Tell me!" Teresa demanded. This was basically a lead to the objectives of Ludger and his two companions. They had something.

The Exorcist captain told Teresa what he learned from the Exorcist that was interrogated by the trio. When he was done, Teresa could hardly believe it. She thanked the Exorcist captain and hurried towards the Villa. She needed to get Eleanor and gather a number of elite Exorcist soldiers with her.

The fate of the Abbey was at stake!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Several minutes later, Velvet and the party managed to safely enter the tavern. Since the Exorcist soldiers were still on the hunt searching for Ludger, Jude and Milla, Velvet's group also had to be careful to avoid being found by an Exorcist.

Tabatha Baskerville was standing behind the bar, clearly waiting for the return of Velvet's party. Velvet approached the bar with Eizen and the others following behind her.

"You did your job well, it seems." Tabatha said to Velvet.

"You heard quickly."

Tabatha smiled, "That's about all I'm good for. And with these old ears, sometimes it's hard to hear at all."

"I hope you've done your part and learned something about the _'key'_ we need for passing through the barrier." Velvet countered.

"Yes. Only the high-ranking Exorcists can enter through the barrier protecting Artorius and his temple. Exorcists are only considered high-ranking if they are accompanied by at least four greater malakhim. But you don't have to worry too much about what's beyond the barrier. My agents have reported that other than Artorius, only the legate Melchior and another praetor is with him."

Rokurou rubbed his chin, "Hmm. So the problem right now is we need to have four powerful malakhim with us to slip through."

"But malakhim outside the Abbey's control are rare." Eizen pointed out, "They thought this through."

Velvet had to admit, the barrier's defense was truly a tough obstacle for them to overcome. It was at this moment that Biefu, Magilou's malak, revealed his physical form. He stood on the bar.

"Well, I may not look it, but I AM a greater malak!" Bienfu announced proudly.

Rokurou looked at Eizen and then at Laphicet, "…Eizen, Laphicet, and Bienfu… That makes it three. We just need one more."

"We'll just have to steal it then." Velvet said.

"If you need Bienfu, that means I have to come along too?" Magilou said with a sigh, "This is such a pain."

"Then stay. We don't need you. We'll keep Bienfu, though."

Magilou feigned shock, "Who said I wasn't coming? A battle between the Shepherd and a daemon sounds like a real fine spectacle. I wouldn't want to miss that!"

"Well I still have my debt to repay, so you can count me to come along." Rokurou said.

Eizen nodded and said, "Melchior is with Artorius. You and I still share the same goal."

"I… I'll come along too!" Laphicet said. Rokurou and Eizen were pleased to see Laphicet come to a decision on his own. He was slowly growing as an individual.

With that done, Velvet turned to the old lady and placed the insignia that was given to her for the infiltration mission earlier.

"Our business is done. You can have this back." Velvet said to Tabatha.

Tabatha shook her head, "Keep it, dear. As long as you have that, the Bloodwing Butterflies will count you as an ally worthy of aid."

Velvet picked up the insignia and returned it to her pocket, "Allies of the ones trying to kill the savior? You might regret that."

"Such a considerate young lady. Listen, dear. All of us live on the fringes of their so called _'reason'_ , do we not?"

"Don't say I didn't warn you." Velvet said with a sigh. She then turned around and started walking towards the door, "Let's get moving."

Velvet only took two steps when Laphicet's stomach growled loudly. It was so loud that everyone just stopped what they were doing, all eyes on the young malak. Laphicet blushed deep red and covered his stomach. But as if it had a mind of its own, his stomach growled for a second time, even louder than the previous one.

Eizen chuckled, "Maybe we should take a short break. It's been a long night and I'm sure we could use the rest."

Rokurou nodded in agreement, "Besides, I'm sure Laphicet deserves some of that good 'ol Mabo Curry."

For the third time, Laphicet's stomach growled. "I… I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it." Velvet said, "Getting tired and feeling hungry, that's also part of being alive. We can spare ten minutes."

Tabatha laughed, "Very well then. I'll get you some drinks and a Mabo Curry for one."

Velvet refused the drinks while Eizen and Rokurou shared one cup of sake together. Magilou also didn't feel the need to drink or eat. Laphicet however was served his favorite Mabo Curry and with ravenous hunger, finished the Mabo Curry at record speed. At the end of the meal, he had a satisfied smile and a very satisfied tummy.

After Laphicet was done with his meal, Velvet called to leave. The party agreed. But before they could leave, there was one last issue they needed to discuss before making the journey for the Empyrean's Throne.

"We still need a fourth greater malak. Where are we going to get one?" Rokurou asked the group.

"Even if the barrier is in place, there should still be Exorcists around the area keeping up with inspections. That's probably our chance to steal another malak."

"Sounds like a plan." Eizen said, "I'll send a sylphjay to the crew asking them to scout out the inspectors. With their information, we'll be able to plan the attack."

Velvet liked the sound of that, "Okay then. We can meet up at Port Zekson."

"You guys sure are sounding confident." Magilou remarked, "Shouldn't you consider that you won't be only facing the Shepherd?"

"You mean Melchior and the other high-rank Exorcist? We already know about them." Velvet said.

"No, not them."

"Then what do you mean?"

Magilou wiggled with strands of her hair, "Don't forget about the Empyrean. Facing old Shepsie's one thing, but Empyreans are, y'know, just… gods who created the world? You think you can win just by smacking it around a bit?"

"That's no Empyrean. It's a phony. Artorius is just using a legend to control the people. Wouldn't a true God be able to do something about the daemonblight?"

Eizen winced at Velvet's words but remained silent. The truth would stay with him.

"So you don't believe in Innominat?" Rokurou asked Velvet.

"I believe there exists something people CALL Innominat." Velvet corrected, "But it's just a malak that used a special arte to bring the other malakhim into our world."

Magilou smirked, "You sound confident of that."

"…I witnessed it three years ago."

Magilou seemed to believe that, "Well, if it's not actually a god we're against, we just might have a fighting chance."

"Of course we do." Velvet replied with confidence, "And ultimately, our target is Artorius. I don't care about anything else."

"Yeah, yeah, you told us that a dozen times."

Velvet glared at Magilou but chose not to say anything. Sometimes she wondered if Magilou simply enjoyed annoying the hell out of her.

"All right, Laphicet. Which way to the Empyrean's Throne?" Rokurou asked the young malak.

Laphicet thought for a second, "Umm… It was north of Loegres, in the mountains up the Danann Highway."

"Right, let's move out." Velvet said and went for the door, "We're meeting up with Eizen's crew at Port Zekson first."

Tabatha watched from behind the bar as Velvet and her companions left the tavern to head for their new destination. In her heart, she wished them the best of luck. They were going to need it.

 **Skit: What Were They Doing?  
Present: Velvet, Laphicet, Eizen, Rokurou & Magilou**

 **Rokurou: Y'know, it was a really close call for us back at the Villa. We're lucky we managed to get out of there okay.**

 **Eizen: I agree. We were fortunate that Jude, Ludger and Milla helped divide their forces.**

 **Rokurou: I wonder what they were doing there though. I mean, they attacked the Villa earlier, so why come again?**

 **Velvet: Perhaps they were looking for something in the Villa?**

 **Laphicet: Maybe they knew we were going to be there and wanted to help?**

 **Velvet: I doubt it.**

 **Laphicet: Huh?**

 **Velvet: I may not have known them long, but I know one thing. Milla is like me. She always has her sights on her goal. So unless they had a reason to be at the Villa, they wouldn't have been there.**

 **Magilou: Yep. Sure sounds like Milla.**

 **Laphicet: But they still came and helped us.**

 **Eizen: I'm sure that's because either Jude or Ludger insisted to lend a hand. Either that, or helping us achieved their own goals.**

 **Rokurou: I guess that makes sense.**

 **Eizen: I'm not saying they're bad people who only have their own interests in mind. But there's a reason why they never really shared their true goals with us.**

 **Velvet: All I know is that they're looking for something called a divergence catalyst. But they never told me what it is.**

 **Eizen: Exactly my point. So whatever reason they were at the Villa, I'm sure it's one step forward towards their goal. If anything, them helping us could have been to their own benefit.**

 **Rokurou: Or maybe we're just reading too much into it. *Laughs***

 **Magilou: I'll say…**

END SKIT

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Is that all of them?" Milla asked Ludger and Jude.

"Yeah, we got them all." Jude said.

"Let's hurry and get out of here." Ludger said as he hurried onwards.

Jude and Milla quickly followed behind the young Kresnik. After escaping the Villa and losing the Exorcist searching for them, they decided to not waste any time and hurried to the main gates of Loegres. However in order to leave the capital city, they had no choice but to quickly and as quiet as possible, eliminate the city guards that were stationed at the gates. All five of the city guards were defeated without even knowing what happened.

Once the trio was at the Danann Highway, they moved northwards in search of the Empyrean's Throne. This was all based on the information they extracted from the Exorcist at the Loegres Villa. Thinking back on what the Exorcist told them, Jude suddenly remembered something.

"Guys, wait." Jude called out to his friends. Ludger and Milla stopped walking.

"What is it, Jude?" Milla asked.

"Shouldn't we figure out how to bypass the barrier the Abbey set up at the Empyrean's Throne?" Jude reminded, "I mean, the guy at the Villa told us the barrier only allows a person with four malakhim to pass through."

Ludger remembered that, "So how are we going to find four malakhim?"

"I don't think that's going to be a problem for us." Milla said. Both Ludger and Jude turned to her, confused.

"Milla, what do you mean?" Jude asked the Lord of Spirits.

"I already have the Great Four with me." Milla answered, "I have a feeling the Great Four are classified as a malakhim in this world. Seres, Rokurou and Eizen all have previously thought the Great Four were malakhim, and Seres told us before, that malakhim are supernatural spirits created by spiritual energy and are normally bound to an element. The Great Spirits are created by mana, which is essentially the same thing and are elemental bound."

Ludger and Jude were reminded that the first time they met Seres, Rokurou, Eizen and even the Exorcists of the Abbey, they all always assumed the Great Four were malakhim. So Milla could actually be on to something.

"I guess it's worth a shot." Ludger said finally.

Jude nodded in agreement, "Hopefully it works. If not, I don't know how we're going to actually find four malakhim and get them to help us."

"We'll find out at the Empyrean Throne." Milla said before she continued walking, "Let's press onwards."

The trio continued on their journey northwards. Of course the Danann Highway was littered with monsters and daemons, so as much as the trio wanted to hurry, any monsters that attacked them had to be dealt with quickly.

Halfway during their trip, Milla had gone on ahead of them while Ludger and Jude were just a little behind. Ludger turned to Jude and noticed he not only looked a little bit depressed but also seemed to be lost in thought. Thinking that Jude was probably stressing about how they could defeat Artorius, he approached his friend.

Ludger nudged Jude's side and asked, "Jude, you okay?"

Jude jumped a little, "O-Oh! Yeah, I'm fine. I was just… thinking a little."

"Don't worry too much about Artorius." Ludger assured, "He's really strong but I don't think he's able to take all three of us on his own. If Milla actually goes all out with the Great Four, I actually think she can handle Artorius on her own."

"Oh… Yeah, I know but I wasn't really worried about whether or not we could take on Artorius. We don't have a choice anyway. He's the divergence catalyst after all."

"So what were you thinking about?" Ludger asked.

"I… I just don't know if this really is the right thing to do." Jude answered. Ludger didn't say anything but he did seem surprised by Jude's answer. Jude continued, "I mean, we're destroying this entire world. Velvet, Laphicet and everyone we met… We're going to be the ones to kill them."

"It's not like we wanted to enter this world just to destroy it. We're doing this so that the prime dimension can continue to exist." Ludger reminded and then said, "And you've been to a fractured dimension before. This won't be the first time we have to do this."

"But this is different!" Jude retorted angrily, "Before this, the fractured dimensions that we had to destroy mirrored exactly like our world with one major difference. I didn't like it, but at least I could accept that we really _had to_ destroy these fractured dimensions. But this… This feels like an entirely new world. Malakhim, daemonblight, the Midgand Empire… This doesn't mirror our world at all. This isn't a fractured dimension! We entered a completely different world! That's why… That's why I don't know if I can actually go through with this. Laphicet, Velvet, Eizen, Rokurou and Magilou… They don't deserve this. No one does!"

Jude waited for Ludger's response but for a short moment, a great silence grew between the two. The pair continued walking forward but Jude waited for Ludger's answer.

Finally Ludger spoke, "I told you before Jude… I told you not to get too attached with this world. It just makes it harder for us to complete the mission."

"How can you say that?!" Jude exploded, grabbing Ludger's collar. "Don't you care about them?! Don't you feed bad?! Velvet, Eizen and everyone… They helped us! And we're just going to destroy their world in return? How can you be so heartless?!"

"Then tell me what we should do!" Ludger countered and shoving Jude back, "Of course I care about them! You think I _WANT_ to destroy this world?! You think I enjoyed destroying the previous fractured dimensions we entered?! I don't have a choice! It's also for the sake of our world, the prime dimension! And if we don't destroy this world, we'll be stuck here forever! We really don't have a choice now!"

"Ludger…"

"All those other fractured dimensions I've destroyed… I did it because we didn't have a choice. And the job of destroying worlds is my job – the Kresnik clan's job. That's why I'll shoulder all the blame. It's all on me."

Jude couldn't form a response to that. As much as he wanted to say to Ludger that the crime of taking millions of lives was on everyone's hands, those words were just empty reassurance. Because in the end, Ludger was the only one that could detect and destroy a divergence catalyst, which results in destroying the inhabitants of that particular dimension. The blood was in Ludger's hands.

"I'm sorry." Jude apologized after a lengthy silence, "I say all that, but it's true… You're the one that's carrying all this burden."

Ludger shook his head, "It's fine. Don't worry about it."

"But… I wanted to at least have a proper farewell with everyone."

"You mean Velvet and the others?"

Jude nodded, "Yeah…"

"No, that's not a good idea." A voice said. Ludger and Jude were surprised by Milla's voice and turned towards her. "If we give a farewell, all that will do is cast suspicion on why we are doing so. We cannot have anyone from this world finding out our objective. Because if they know we are here to destroy their world, then we will be targeted by everyone. We will be the enemy."

Milla said nothing more and after that continued walking. Jude and Ludger didn't say anything more and quickly followed the Lord of Spirits. But Milla's words rang true. If Velvet and the crew discovered their intentions, they would be labeled as the enemy. They would be the villains.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After an hour or so of traversing through the Danann Highway, Ludger and his friends knew they have arrived at their destination. The place was littered with Exorcist soldiers. They were probably here to guard the area outside the barrier while only the high-ranking Exorcists were allowed to enter.

The strange thing about the scene was that all the Exorcist soldiers were on the ground with wounds. Some of them were unconscious and others sustained heavy injuries that they couldn't even get up. They would need a healer.

"What happened here? Why are they all injured?" Jude wondered aloud.

"Do you think Velvet and the others did this?" Ludger offered as a guess.

"Wow, so they were faster than us even though we escaped the Villa first." Jude said with a soft laugh.

Milla raised her arm, "Quiet, you two. I hear a fight coming from over there. The ones who did this are still here."

Ludger and Jude stopped talking and when they listened properly, they could hear the sounds of a battle in progress. Since the barrier was further onwards, the trio approached where the sounds were coming from. A few seconds later, they saw who was fighting.

"Eizen?" Jude whispered in surprise. Eizen didn't seem to notice them at least.

"Who's that other guy he's fighting?" Ludger muttered.

On the opposite side of Eizen was another man with white hair tied into a ponytail. He wore black pants with a similar black jacket that reveals his chest and midriff. From the looks of it, Eizen and this stranger had been locked in a fight for quite some time now.

Milla noticed movement and saw a few others arrived at the scene. "It's Velvet and the rest of them."

Jude and Ludger looked to the far side and sure enough, Velvet, Laphicet, Rokurou and Magilou were there. It looked like they were looking for Eizen as well. However, since the trio was quite far and hiding behind a couple of trees, neither Velvet's group nor Eizen noticed them.

Eizen charged towards the white-haired man, throwing a punch but before the punch could connect, the stranger backed off and unleashed his weapon. A pendulum. Eizen barely side-stepped the attack as he felt the pendulum actually grazing his shoulder. He wanted to close the gap but the pendulum made its return, forcing the blonde pirate to tumble to the side to dodge the attack. Eizen's opponent seemed genuinely impressed that Eizen managed to avoid getting hit from the pendulum's return.

"Whoa! You're pretty good, whoever you are." The white-haired man complimented the blonde pirate.

Eizen did not let his guard down, but he was willing to talk, "I'm Eizen, the Reaper. Aifread's first mate."

The stranger raised an eyebrow, "A buddy of Aifread's? Oh, this'll be too good."

"So, you ARE the one who took Captain Aifread from us!"

"Oh yeah, that's the spirit, pal!" The white-haired man said with a grin.

"Eizen, calm yourself!" A voice said. Eizen and the stranger turned to the side. It was Velvet. Ludger, Jude and Milla were still watching.

"What?" Eizen demanded. Velvet approached the blonde pirate, with Laphicet, Rokurou and Magilou following close behind.

"He's a malak AND he's against the Abbey. If we work together, we can pass the barrier."

"Don't give me your peacemaking crap." The white-haired stranger said, "I'm here for a fight. And I ain't leaving until I get one!"

"I'm settling this my way!" Eizen said and moved into an aggressive stance, "Right here, right now! Stay out of this!"

Velvet narrowed her eyes and unsheathed her gauntlet blade, "I see. Well, two can play at that game. I'll handle this my way. I'll beat you both until you're helpless, then open that barrier!"

To everyone's surprise, Velvet attacked both Eizen and the white-haired stranger. Eizen and his opponent looked at each other before deciding to strike Velvet together. The situation had completely shifted.

"How did things end up like this?" Rokurou questioned with a sigh.

"Oh, be quiet and help Velvet!" Magilou declared as she summoned Bienfu to her side. Then she grabbed Laphicet's arm and pulled him in. "Come on, kid. Looks like we're joining in!"

"W-What?!"

Ludger, Jude and Milla could not believe how the situation had completely escalated from a one-on-one duel into a full blown brawl. Eizen was actually even teaming up with the white-haired stranger only because he didn't want Velvet's group to interfere. It was almost ridiculous.

However, Milla saw this as an opportunity. "It looks like they're occupied with the fight. Jude, Ludger, let's go. We'll use this chance to enter the barrier."

Ludger and Jude nodded and hurried towards the barrier. Velvet's crew was far too engrossed trying to calm Eizen and the white-haired stranger to notice the trio sneaking past them. Once the trio passed them, they continued moving forward for a few seconds until they came upon a pathway that had the barrier.

Jude reached out his hand and sure enough felt an invisible wall in front of him.

"Yeah, the barrier's over here." Jude announced to his friends.

Ludger folded his arms around his chest, "Looks like we really can't get through without the four malakhim."

"Milla, let's try what you suggested." Jude said.

Milla nodded and summoned the Great Four spirits to her side. Efreet, Undine, Sylph and Gnome all revealed their physical forms. The Great Four looked at Milla and she nodded. With their master's approval, all four Great Spirits placed one hand on the barrier and poured their mana into the barrier. After a short moment, the barrier shattered.

"Did you destroy the barrier?!" Jude asked in shock.

"…I think I did." Milla replied, "That wasn't my intention though."

Ludger scratched the back of his head, "Well it doesn't matter I guess. Come on, let's find Artorius before Velvet does."

"Right."

The trio entered the compound of the Empyrean's Throne but they were wrong to think that the way forward was clear for them. While it was true that no Exoricsts were present, there were still malakhim around the compound guarding the entrance of the Throne. Also they needed to figure out a way to break these gates that the malakhim had created.

Ludger, Jude and Milla were still far from reaching Artorius.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Inside the main chamber of the Empyrean's Throne, Shepherd Artorius was still in his meditative state but his concentration was shattered when he was alerted to another presence inside the main chamber. Without getting up or turning around, he knew who it was.

"What is it, Oscar? I thought I ordered no one to enter until I am ready." Artorius said.

Oscar deeply bowed in respect, "Forgive me, Lord Artorius. It's just that I received a report via a sylphjay sent by my sister. It was urgent, so I thought you should know."

"…I see. What does she have to say?"

Oscar cleared his throat, "High priest Gideon has been killed. He was assassinated by the same daemons and criminals that torched Hellawes and sacked Vortigern Fortress. She also reports that… Ludger and his two friends had also infiltrated the Villa and extracted information of our current location. She believes that their target is you, Lord Artorius. She states she, Eleanor Hume and a number of elite Exorcists are on their way here as we speak."

Artorius remained silent but his mind was already processing the information. From the report, he now knew that Velvet Crowe was the one who assassinated the high priest, and she was most likely on her way here. Even more interesting was that Ludger was en route as well. It would seem Melchior's intuition was correct – He was the divergence catalyst and the reason why Ludger was after his life.

"…Thank you for the report, Oscar. You are dismissed." Artorius said.

Oscar hesitated but bowed before turning around and leaving. He thought the Shepherd would have ordered to have security tightened and prepare for battle. But no orders were given.

After Oscar was gone from the main chamber, Artorius opened his eyes and took a deep breath. The ritual was almost ready. However, before he could commence the ritual, it appears he would need to deal with Velvet and Ludger. He wasn't too worried about his former student. He knew he should be able to defeat her.

However Ludger's transformation powers were a problem even to him. Putting him aside, the golden-haired woman with her four malakhim was another problem added with the young black-haired martial artist with exceptional healing artes.

Now, Artorius waited.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Back with Velvet's group, the battle had just concluded with Eizen and the white-haired stranger finally defeated. It wasn't like Eizen sustained any heavy injuries but the group finally managed to restrain him and calm down blonde pirate.

The white-haired stranger laughed, "Oh man, you guys are a treat, you know that? So what's your plan after you've punched through the barrier?"

"Kill the Shepherd." Velvet answered without a pause.

"Daaaamn. That's a new one!"

"She's dead serious." Eizen stated.

The white-haired man chuckled, "All right, all right. You won the fight. What do you want me to do?"

"Let's get to the barrier and we'll slip through with your help." Velvet said.

The white-haired stranger nodded and walked ahead with Velvet and her group following him. After a short while, the white-haired stranger stopped and the party assumed that they were standing before the barrier.

"So this here's the barrier. How do you guys plan to…" The white-haired man was saying, knocking on where the barrier should be – only to hit nothing but thin air, "Whoa! What the? That's weird. I'm positive the barrier should be here."

"The barrier's gone?" Velvet said in surprise.

Magilou stepped up and reached out her hand. Sure enough, there was nothing but thin air. There was no invisible wall.

"No barrier here. How odd." Magilou said and turned to the party, "Do you think the old lady got us some outdated info or something?"

"That, or the barrier was dispelled by something else." Eizen guessed.

"It doesn't matter. If the barrier is gone, then that makes it easier for us." Velvet stated.

The white-haired man shrugged and started walking away, "Then I guess you guys didn't need my help after all. The rest is up to you. I just want to see the panic on the Exorcist's faces."

"Hold it." Eizen called out. The white-haired man stopped, turning towards Eizen. "I still have questions for you."

The white-haired man chuckled, "That's enough for now, Eizen. If you persist, one of us will end up dead."

"…Who are you? Tell me."

"Zaveid the Whirlwind. A fighter, nothing more."

Zaveid winked at the group before turning around and walking away from the scene. Eizen made no move to follow or stop Zaveid from walking out.

Velvet turned to Eizen, "The barrier's gone. I won't stop you from going after him."

"No, I walk with you. Besides, Melchior is still my surest link to Aifread's whereabouts."

"Heh. Could've saved us a lot of trouble if you'd listened to me from the start."

Eizen smirked, "If I had good judgment, I wouldn't be where I am in the first place."

"…You really are a fool."

"That I am. Now let's go. The Empyrean's Throne is right in front of us."

"Right."

Velvet led the group as they entered the compound of the Empyrean's Throne. Unknown to them, all the malakhim guards in the area had been cleared by Milla, Ludger and Jude and they were currently trying to open the number of locked gates enhanced by the artes of the malakhim guards. Thanks to them, Velvet's party didn't have to go through the trouble of doing it themselves.

While the group moved towards the Empyrean's Throne, Laphicet apologized to Eizen for siding with Velvet and attacking him earlier. From there, Eizen lectured Laphicet that he didn't blame him for that and that his decision was what made the young malak as an individual. Eizen concluded his little talk by warning Laphicet that his choices came with different outcomes, so he should pick his decisions wisely so that he could live on with no regrets.

With no malakhim guards in their way and the security system set up by the malakhim guards being disabled by Ludger's group, Velvet's party progressed quickly and in just a few minutes arrived at the grand staircase leading up to the Empyrean's Throne. The party started their climb up the stairway.

A minute later, the party was halfway up the grand staircase and this signified that they were just a few minutes away from encountering Artorius, the Shepherd and savior of mankind.

Rokurou used this opportunity to ask, "Velvet, what is Artorius's method of fighting?"

Velvet turned around and answered, "He wields a long sword in his left hand. And as you all know, Seres was once his malak who used fire."

Eizen crossed his arms, "And since Seres left him, I assume he's tethered a new malak called Innominat to use in her place?"

"As far as I know, yes. But I can't imagine a new malak will work with him as well as Seres did."

"Must be pleasant to always assume the best." Magilou said.

"If I'm wrong, that's where all of you come in." Velvet addressed to the whole party, "The four of you will strain his tether to the malak. Then I'll chew through it, at which point Artorius becomes nothing more than a simple human."

Rokurou was skeptical about the plan, "But how will you get close to him in the first place?"

"I'll use Laphicet's artes. Artorius will cut me. He will burn me. And I will keep charging forward." Velvet answered and looked at Laphicet, "Your job is to keep healing me so that I can stay on my feet."

"So it's a sacrificial assault." Rokurou remarked, "Well, it's not a bad plan. There's a good chance you'll catch him off guard."

"If you don't immediately die anyway." Magilou added.

Laphicet immediately grew concerned, "B-But Velvet, you'll…!"

"That's an order, Laphicet." Velvet interjected.

"…All right." Laphicet said dejectedly.

Velvet stared at Laphicet for a moment before walking away. She was now far too focused on her goal now to actually be concerned with his or anyone else's feelings.

Magilou clicked her tongue, "So in the end, you're still just a tool to her. Bet that hurts."

Laphicet didn't say anything. Rokurou and Eizen didn't say anything although they both agreed that Velvet's hunger for revenge was a little too much. But now wasn't the time to bring up such concerns. They were going to challenge the Shepherd. They needed to focus.

Bienfu, who had been listening to the whole thing, popped up, "Miss Magilou, does that daemon Velvet really mean to kill Shepherd Artorius?"

"Yup."

"That's crazy! What's she thinking?"

Magilou shrugged, "I can't say. Perhaps she's not thinking at all."

"Well, as crazy as it sounds, a debt is still a debt." Rokurou said with a smile, "Come along, Laphicet."

"O-Okay…"

Velvet and the party continued the arduous climb for the final half up the grand staircase. After a minute, they finally arrived at the top and in the distance, they could see the large majestic doors that leads to the main chamber. Everyone knew, without question, that behind those closed doors, Shepherd Artorius would be found there.

XXXXX

When Velvet stood before the large doors, she took a deep breath and pushed open the doors. Finally, after three long years, she was so close to getting her long desired revenge.

The main chamber of the Empyrean's Throne was exceptionally large and the place was actually rather empty. There were special markings around the walls and the ceiling was at least a hundred meters above them. And on the opposite end of the main chamber, Velvet found Artorius. He was alone, sitting behind some unknown symbols on the wall.

"Artorius!" Velvet called out, her blood boiling at just the mere sight of the Shepherd.

Artorius opened his eyes but he did not stand up nor did he turn around. He already sensed them. There were five of them.

Without turning back, Artorius spoke, "So it's you that have come first. I see. Daemons and malakhim… Unlikely companions, to say the least."

"Seres is here, too. In my stomach." Velvet snapped.

"…So you chose to be a mother bird, Seres."

Artorius finally stood up and turned around. Everyone now had a good look at their target – Shepherd Artorius, savior of mankind.

Velvet unveiled her gauntlet blade, "Things will be different this time! I will have my revenge… Revenge for Laphicet!"

Laphicet actually blinked, confused as to why Velvet mentioned his name. He wasn't fully aware yet that Velvet named him after her deceased younger brother.

Artorius pulled out his sword and prepared for battle, "Very well… It is time!"

Artorius unleashed his aura and the entire party could already judge the raw power and skill the Shepherd possessed. Velvet, however, was not discouraged. Without waiting for a second longer, she charged in first.

Velvet threw the first strike, swinging her blade at her former brother-in law. The Shepherd parried the attack easily but Velvet tried to use her speed to her advantage, launching several more attacks. Each of her attacks were again parried by Artorius's blade. At one point, Velvet threw a kick but the Shepherd stepped in and threw a thunderous elbow on Velvet's midsection, stunning her for a moment.

Eizen and Rokurou followed up next, both attacking together. Rokurou lunged forward, thrusting both his dual daggers upfront only to find Artorius diverted Rokurou's attack by slightly tapping the daemon's body with the hilt of his sword. The Shepherd finished it by kicking Rokurou's back, launching him a distance away. Eizen tried to follow up, actually throwing a quick punch that forced Artorius to block with the right-side of his body. Then with sheer technique, Artorius spun around and swung his sword at the blonde pirate. It was only thanks to Laphicet's last-minute barrier that saved Eizen's life as the Shepherd's sword bounced back against Laphicet's protective artes.

To cover their retreat, Magilou unleashed several fireballs at Artorius, forcing the Shepherd to leap back and creating some distance between Velvet's companions and himself.

"So this is the Shepherd's style." Rokurou commented. Just as he feared, Artorius's swordsmanship and technique was on a whole other level.

"I don't understand. He has no malakhim!" Eizen pointed out.

"Just stick to the plan!" Velvet cried before she charged in for a second round.

Eizen grunted, "Let's go everyone!"

This time, Rokurou was the first to reach the Shepherd. He decided that instead of trying to work around Artorius's defense, he would try and slip past it from the front.

" _Double Haze!"_

Rokurou dashed forward so fast that the normal eye wouldn't have been able to follow. However Artorius was experienced and an excellent swordsman, thus he managed to side-step at the last second, completely dodging Rokurou's attack. In retaliation, Rokurou smacked the hilt of his sword on the back of Rokurou, stunning the Rangetsu daemon. Artorius then delivered an earth-shattering kick on Rokurou's front, throwing the spiky-haired daemon backwards. Laphicet rushed to heal Rokurou.

Eizen was much more careful with his approach, trying to find an opening. This was his mistake. The whole time, Artorius had been analyzing each of them and he knew Eizen was cautious this time. So instead of being on the defensive, Artorius suddenly burst forward, catching the blonde pirate by surprise. Before he could even defend himself, Artorius reached him and kicked Eizen back, taking him out of the fight temporarily.

"Artorius!" Velvet screamed.

Artorius shifted his attention to his former apprentice and clashed swords with her. However each time they exchanged attacks, Velvet was unable to land a single hit on him while the Shepherd continued to slash, slice and cut Velvet. Once she was vulnerable, Artorius raised his swords and slashed sideways, slicing through Velvet's midsection before kicking her backwards.

"Velvet!" Laphicet called out.

Velvet grunted in pain as she landed on her back. Laphicet hurried to her aid and started applying healing artes on her. In a matter of seconds, the wounds she sustained were healed.

"This… isn't over!" Velvet spat. She was already back on her feet. However this time, she charged in alone.

Artorius watched Velvet's movements closely and found where she was going to attack. He stepped aside, avoiding Velvet's blade but she was adamant, quickly throwing a kick at the Shepherd. Artorius continuously avoided and dodged all of Velvet's attacks, waiting for one opening that would end this fight once and for all. And he finally found it.

When Velvet thrust her blade forward, Artorius lunged forward. He barely dodged the attack and in his counter-attack, plunged his long sword straight through Velvet's stomach. Velvet's eyes widened as she screamed in pain, blood pouring out from the wound.

"It's over." Artorius said. His long sword was still deep inside Velvet.

Velvet growled, "Once more… Laphicet!"

Artorius blinked in confusion as he watched the young malak gather the healing artes in his hands before firing it at Velvet. Instantly, Velvet was healed from her wounds.

"The fourth maxim…" Velvet whispered.

Artorius was the one who taught her the rules of combat and was well aware of what the fourth maxim was. He quickly pulled out his sword and jumped back at the nick of time as Velvet's blade almost connected.

Velvet collapsed back on the ground, coughing out blood. The healing arte Laphicet had fired at her was only temporary and with Artorius out of range, Laphicet now properly applied his healing artes on her.

Artorius glared at the injured Velvet, "The fourth maxim… _"Never let your guard down, even when victorius'_? I will not let you win so easily. I will use my full strength, as is just and proper." Artorius raised his sword into the air, "Aid me, Innominat!"

Everyone could sense an unknown source supplying Artorius with more power. At the tip of Artorius's sword, a shining bright light sprung forth.

"Such power… Is it really…?" Eizen whispered in awe.

"That… That's just cheating!" Magilou cried out.

Laphicet continued to heal Velvet. Velvet, weakened from her injuries, glared at the shining light. "I remember you… That night… That terrible night!"

Finally fully charged with power, Artorius unleashed a powerful shockwave at the group. Velvet, Eizen, Laphicet and everyone was blown off their feet and flew several meters back before crashing on the ground in pain.

Eizen groaned, "It's no use… He's too powerful."

Velvet ignored Eizen and while on all fours, turned to Laphicet, "More… More healing…"

Laphicet was tired at that point but obeyed Velvet's orders. "Velvet, please… We can't win. We have to run."

"You won't escape this time!" A feminine voice said from behind the party.

Velvet turned around and to her dismay, it was praetor Teresa. Even worse, she wasn't alone. Oscar, Eleanor and legate Melchior were with her along with at least ten elite Exorcists behind them. Teresa had brought them along.

"Lord Artorius, are you all right?" Oscar asked, deeply concerned.

"Yes, Oscar. I'm fine." Artorius answered and shifted to Oscar's sister, "Teresa, why are you here? I assigned you to be in charge of the Villa."

Teresa bowed, "I beg your pardon, Lord Artorius, but after I learned that your life might be in danger, I couldn't just remain at the capital without offering my assistance. I also learned the legate Shigure was not here, so I had to come."

"Shigure isn't the kind of person who would come to attend matters such as these." Artorius remarked, "Besides, that man would like to see my blood spilled more than anyone."

Rokurou narrowed his eyes, "Same as ever."

Melchior grumbled, "Bah. That man only thinks of himself. Look what happened with Aifread."

"So YOU are Melchior!" Eizen exclaimed in anger.

Velvet stepped up weakly. With her injuries, she could barely stay up. "No, Artorius… The one who wants most to spill your blood… Is ME!"

Velvet charged towards the Shepherd but instead of facing him, Teresa stepped in between Velvet and the Shepherd.

"Lord Artorius, allow me to quiet this damned daemon." Teresa said.

Teresa summoned her malakhim, Number One, to her side. The young malak appeared and both immediately started channeling an arte.

"Out of my way!" Velvet screamed, raising her blade.

"Learn your place, you abominable daemon!" Teresa snarled as she finished channeling her arte.

Behind Teresa, a number of large icicle spikes appeared and she unleashed all of them at Velvet. Velvet tried to evade them but with the injuries she sustained, her movements were far too slow and each of the icicle spikes connected. Velvet was bleeding from all her injuries and with her strength giving out, she collapsed on her back.

Laphicet hurried to her side and quickly applied healing artes. He was horrified to see she was bleeding everywhere. He had to hurry or else she was going to die!

"I… I'm not… Finished…" Velvet muttered weakly. Even now, she was still trying to continue the fight.

Laphicet shook his head, tears forming in his eyes, "Why, Velvet? Why do you go on fighting? You're in pain… You need to stop…"

In her weakened and dazed state, she looked up at Laphicet. However in her eyes, she thought she was staring at her brother. Her memories came rushing back. All the times she cared for him, cooked for him, fed for him and fought for him… All of that only for him to be murdered by the person she trusted most.

Velvet weakly reached out her arm and caressed Laphicet's cheek, "I'm sorry… I'm so… so… sorry…"

"…Velvet…"

Teresa approached and stood at the side of the defeated Velvet, "Exorcists… capture all of them. We will have their execution back at the capital."

"At once, Lady Teresa."

Oscar, Eleanor and the ten elite Exorcists moved to capture the rest of Velvet's group. Eizen, Rokurou and Magilou were still capable of fighting but greatly outnumbered and at the presence of the Shepherd, they knew resistance was futile. They did not resist.

Teresa turned to Laphicet, "…Colluding with daemons. Number Two, your punishment will be severe. Ending your miserable life will not suffice."

While Teresa dealt with her former malakhim, Artorius was actually thankful that one matter was resolved – but then he suddenly grew alert. He sensed _them_.

"They're here!" Artorius declared suddenly.

Teresa was startled by Artorius's sudden outburst. "Huh?"

That was the last thing she said when suddenly the doors of the main chamber exploded in flames. Oscar, Eleanor and the ten Exorcists either jumped or yelped in surprise. Everyone stared at the red flames burning and the thick black smoke dancing from the explosion.

"What is going here?!" Teresa demanded, "Who is responsible for…!"

A figure emerged from the thick black smoke at an incredible speed, dashing past the Exorcists. His target was Teresa. The praetor Teresa couldn't react on time when she realized the newcomer was Jude Mathis. He jumped forward and landed a devastating kick directly on Teresa's face, launching her several meters backwards.

"J-Jude?!" Laphicet blurted out. At this point, he was trembling but at the same time, relieved that help had arrived.

"Stay still." Jude said to Velvet as he applied his own healing artes. Velvet could feel her wounds slowly sealing up.

"Sister!" Oscar called out, running to his sister's aid.

The ten elite Exorcists pulled out their weapons and were about to run towards Jude when from behind the black smoke, several more fireballs appeared. Each of the fireballs blasted on each of the elite Exorcists, some burning them while the others were blown off their feet from the force of the impact. In just a matter of seconds, all ten of the elite Exorcists were defeated.

Milla Maxwell, the Lord of Spirits, emerged from the flames and black smoke. By her side were the Great Four Spirits. Eleanor was wise enough to back away as she knew she couldn't beat Milla – not with those four malakhim.

"Damn you outsiders!" Melchior cursed, throwing several elemental artes at Milla.

Milla didn't move at all as each of the Great Four threw their own defensive artes to protect the master. Melchior was flabbergasted that Milla so easily dispelled his artes.

"How about this then?" Melchior challenged as he channeled far longer and threw a large ball of energy.

As the ball of energy was about to hit Milla, the third figure emerged from behind the flames. Ludger pierced the ball of energy with his lance, which shocked the praetors and legate Melchior himself.

Ludger landed next to Milla and glared at his exhausted friends – Eizen, Rokurou and Magilou. Then he looked at the severely injured Velvet, who was being treated by Jude at the moment with Laphicet watching on. Finally Ludger shifted his gaze at the Exorcists of the Abbey. Finally, he glared at his target – Shepherd Artorius.

"So, you've come…" Artorius said.

Ludger swung his lance and started walking towards the Shepherd. This time he was ready to challenge Artorius alone. With him draped in the level three Chromatus form, he was on equal terms against the Shepherd.

Milla and Jude watched in silence as Ludger slowly approached Artorius. For now, Jude needed to focus on healing Velvet. Milla would probably have to deal with Melchior while Rokurou, Eizen and Magilou deal with the three praetors.

Ludger had the whole floor against Artorius. The Kresnik, destroyer of worlds, against Shepherd Artorius, savior of mankind.

 **CHAPTER END**


	16. CHAPTER 16: COLLIDE

**A/N: Hey guys, I have to apologize for the approaching 4-month hiatus. Around June 26th, Steam summer sale started and what happened was that I bought a random JRPG "Trails in the Sky FC". I just planned to play the game as a side thing but turns out, I just feel deep into the game. After finishing the first, I went and bought the second and third, and played it all. Then I waited for the release of "Trails of Cold Steel" and I took around a month to finish that. After completing those games, I was just burnt out and needed a long recovery before I could get back to writing. I hope I can get back to regularly updating this story.**  
 **I apologize for that. For now, let's get back to responding to reviews!**

 **gundam 09: Sorry for the delay. Here's the chapter**

 **RedRat8: Well you'll see Artorius vs the World Destroyer but against the Lord of Spirits will happen another time.**

 **Tony Anderson: Glad you liked the ending.**

 **kujo135: Well you won't find out about that anytime soon**

 **Riku Uzumaki: The nature of Berseria world and how it might be connected to ToX world will be explored very far from where we currently are.**

 **ElementalSoldier9819: Yes the ending was pretty suspenseful. About Eleanor, the most I can say is that she will join the party but it's going to happen later on now considering the outcome of the chapter.**

 **version15: For the writier, gotta love cliffhangers xD And thanks, I'm glad you think my writing is good enough. That means a lot.**

 **RSBCS: Unfortunately I had to cover a number of battles this chapter so not every fight gets the spotlight it deserves. But if anything, it's more of an appetizer before they meet again in the future.**  
 **-Sorry about the vigilante outcome in this chapter hehe**

 **chronotimeguard: When you put it that way, Ludger vs Artorius really is some poetic justice in a way. The two share so many similarities but are widely different in regards to their actions.**

 **Gravenimage: Here's the update**

 **Forgotten64: Ah yes I did notice at the time you didn't review chapter 14.**  
 **-I'm glad you noticed it. Ever since the meeting with Jude, I wanted to give Teresa more spotlight in her character since the game focused on her love for her brother. This gives her a little bit more dynamic.**  
 **-Ah yes. That argument was something I did because in ToX2, Ludger was given so little character development due to being a silent character, so I wanted to voice out some of the issues I'm sure he had but never got to speak it out.**

 **Double-DecaKiva-DenBlades: Sorry for the delay. Here's the chapter**

 **Ultimabuster: Oho, a Ludger fan? It's rare to find that since amongst the Tales fans (at least western fans), many tend to rate other Tales protagonists over Ludger. Totally understandable. For me, Ludger would have been an awesome protagonist since he had an interesting background but unfortunately never explored in the game**

 **Guest: Well you'll just have to read and find out the outcome between Ludger vs Artorius.**

 **Roxas Blaze: Yup, because Jude is a goody-two-shoe, haha**  
 **-You'll have to see how ARtorius handles Ludger in this chapter. However they don't have too much interaction and is more of a proper way for both to judge each other's combat abilities.  
-But yes, after 5 chapters, the whole group is finally together again. It's been like this since they arrived at Loegress.**

 **ironfist97: Now that you mentioned it, I guess Berseria did lack some noble characters in the party. The only ones would be Eleanor and in a way Laphicet.  
-You aren't the only one. I'm surprised a lot of readers are commenting that they want to see a Ludger and Velvet pairing. **

**Haseo55: Berseria certainly left an impression on me, which is why I just had to write a story featuring the two games. I hope you'll continue reading this story.**

 **Milla Mathis-Maxwell: Here you go**

 **Well that's it for responding to reviews. I hope you guys will enjoy this new chapter and do let me know your thoughts of the new chapter or how the story is coming along. Till next time!**

 **CHAPTER 16: COLLIDE**

"Ugh… Let me… go!"

"Stop trying to get up." Jude admonished while continuously pouring his healing artes on Velvet, "Your injuries are serious. If you don't let us heal you, your life will be in danger."

"S-Shut… up." Velvet said softly, struggling to get back up, "I need… to kill… Artorius!"

"Velvet, please!" Laphicet pleaded desperately, "I don't want you to get hurt anymore! Let Jude and I heal you!"

Velvet turned to the young malakhim and his words seem to have had some effect on her. It was probably because his appearance, and the way he pleaded with her, was exactly like how her late brother speaks to her. She finally relented, stopping her struggles against Jude and lying down on the ground.

Jude and Laphicet resumed applying healing artes on the injured Velvet. The pair would need more time before they were finished with the black-haired daemon.

Of course while all this was happening, Lady Teresa was furious at how the situation had changed so quickly. Just a few seconds earlier, she finally defeated the arrogant black-haired daemon and was just about to end her life. But before that could happen, Jude not only stopped her but actually attacked her! It infuriated her.

At that moment, around eight elite Exorcists entered the main chamber. Apparently before departing from the capital, Teresa had ordered to send in another squadron of elite Exorcist soldiers as backup.

Teresa turned to the elite Exorcist soldiers, "Don't just stand there! Get them!"

The newly arrived Exorcist elites hurriedly obeyed the praetor's orders, rushing in the direction of the injured Velvet. However they didn't get very far before their path was blocked.

"Sorry, but you lot aren't getting past us so easily." Eizen said casually with his hands in the pockets of his coat. Despite that, the elite Exorcists could tell he was alert.

"That's right. You guys will make for some good practice." Rokurou added with a sly grin.

The eight elite Exorcist soldiers stared at one another, not sure on how to proceed. If they were normal Exorcist soldiers, they would have blindly charged in but they could tell both Rokurou and Eizen were skilled combatants.

"Get them!" Teresa ordered.

All eight elite Exorcist soldiers rushed in. They did not strike immediately however, circling the blonde pirate and the spiky-haired daemon. Both Eizen and Rokurou sensed their intention and not willing to be attacked simultaneously from all sides, they initiated the offensive.

Eizen and Rokurou dashed forward, catching the two elite Exorcists in front of them by surprise. Before the others could react, Eizen threw a thunderous punch to the midsection of his target, knocking the air out. The Exorcist soldier fell forward, losing consciousness in a split second.

The other Exorcist managed to parry one of Rokurou's attacks but that was the furthest he got. Rokurou used his innate speed and agility to outmaneuver the Exorcist's movements, finally locating an opening. The spiky-haired daemon thrust both steel daggers forward, plunging the metallic weapons deep into the Exorcist's chest, ending his life.

In just a matter of seconds, Eizen and Rokurou used the elite Exorcist's reluctance to their advantage.

Melchior, who was watching the whole thing, had seen enough, "You foolish monstrosities have done enough!"

Melchior created a channeling circle under his feet and then in the palm of his hands, several medium-sized black orbs appeared. Without warning, he unleashed all of the black orbs at Rokurou and Eizen. There were more than ten of the black orbs, and the pair of them being surrounded by the remaining six elite Exorcist soldiers means there was very little room for them to avoid the incoming black orbs.

"This isn't good." Eizen whispered to himself. He was searching for an option out of this sticky situation, but with only a few seconds to spare, it was impossible. He braced for impact.

Before Melchior's black orbs could land on Eizen and Rokurou, the four Great Spirts positioned themselves in front of the pair and the four simultaneously erected each of their own respective elemental barriers. All of the black orbs exploded on the elemental walls and managed to break through Efreet and Undine's barriers but failed to penetrate through Gnome and Sylph's blockade. Melchior's artes have been dealt with.

Melchior was frustrated but maintained a composed front, "You damned outsiders…!"

The old legate started channeling for another wave of offensive artes, but when he was halfway, a shadow loomed over him.

" _Assault Dance!"_

Milla Maxwell landed just a few inches in front of Melchior and instantly charged at him, unleashing a fury of quick sword strikes. Melchior managed to not only cancel his channeling but managed to create a quick enough shield to absorb Milla's first strike. This bought him enough time to regain his focus and current predicament, and by the time Milla reached the old legate to continue her assault, Melchior was able to evade all of her attacks.

Milla finally stopped her attacks, allowing Melchior to create some distance between them. However it was clear to the old legate that Milla's focus was on him, meaning he would have his hands full just trying to deal with her.

"I will handle him." Milla said to her Great spirits, her voice loud enough that it carried through the entire chamber. "I want the four of you to support Rokurou and Eizen dealing with the other Exorcists."

"Understood, Lord Maxwell." The Great Four spirits answered.

At that moment, the six remaining elite Exorcists once more surrounded Rokurou and Eizen. Only this time, the sight of the Great Four spirits towering behind the pair was truly intimidating.

Milla placed her trust on the Great Four and returned her gaze on her target, immediately charging towards the old legate. Melchior leaped backwards and fired a beam of energy at the Lord of Spirits. Milla sensed the raw power of the arte and tumbled to the right, barely dodging the beam of energy. She quickly got back up and continued forward until she was close enough to her target.

" _Wind Cutter!"_

Milla spun around and delivered a quick thrust upwards with her sword, which created a small pressurized gust of air gushing out. Melchior threw both hands forward, summoning a small but quick barrier to absorb the attack. It barely worked and allowed Milla to close the gap between the two. The Lord of Spirits attacked, bringing her sword downwards and forcing the old legate to evade. Milla attacked twice more with her sword, both times Melchior dodging the attack but on the third strike, Milla instead took a quick-step forward and delivered a quick elbow across the aged legate's cheeks. Melchior lost his footing and had to regain his balance. Milla took this opportunity to end the fight, lunging forward.

CLANG! The sound of Milla's sword clashing against the end of Eleanor's spear echoed sharply. The red-haired praetor had come to assist her superior.

"You…!" Milla said with frustration, glaring at Eleanor in the eyes.

"I won't allow you to harm the legate!" Eleanor declared.

Milla's focus was on the red-haired praetor for only a second when she noticed that Melchior was still in the fight. She quickly disengaged, jumping back as the old legate unleashed several bolts of energy at the Lord of Spirits. Without the aid of the Great Four spirits, if Milla got hit by any of Melchior's artes, no doubt she would be quickly defeated. Milla avoided all of Melchior's artes and there was now a huge gap between her and Eleanor with Melchior.

Milla eyed her two opponents, analyzing her options, "…The red-haired Exorcist is skilled with her spear. She'll be difficult to deal with alone, but supported by that old Exorcist and I really need to be careful."

The Lord of Spirits would have to deal with both Eleanor and Melchior while Rokurou, Eizen and the Great Four spirits had their hands full dealing with the six remaining elite Exorcist soldiers.

Meanwhile with Velvet, she was still on the ground and being tended to with healing artes from Jude and Laphicet. From her injuries inflicted by Artorius, it was going to take a while before her wounds would be fully healed. Unfortunately for her, the praetor Teresa was not going to let that happen.

"You die here, daemon!" Teresa declared. After watching the six elite Exorcists unable to overwhelm Rokurou and Eizen, she had reached her limit and returned her attention to Velvet.

"Sister, wait!" Oscar called out but Teresa was already committed. With a silent curse, the younger Dragonia sibling followed after his sister.

Jude was still busy applying healing artes on Velvet when he saw Teresa coming towards their position. With Velvet still far from making a full recovery, he had no choice but to engage.

"Laphicet, continue healing Velvet!" Jude instructed as he hopped over Velvet's body to stop Teresa and Oscar.

Teresa stopped in her tracks once Jude stood between her and Velvet.

"Jude Mathis, please get out of the way." Teresa warned, "I don't want to fight you, but if you insist on defending that daemon, then I will have no choice."

Jude didn't answer and didn't move from his position. Teresa waited for another few seconds and once it was clear Jude was not about to budge, she charged forward. Oscar followed right behind his sister.

Jude shared Teresa's feelings where he didn't want to fight her, but he couldn't allow her to harm Velvet either. Teresa channeled her arte as she continued sprinting forward, firing several sharp icicle picks towards Jude. Jude skillfully dodged each one of them and suddenly burst forward. Teresa was caught off-guard and was unable to dodge Jude's attack. A thunderous kick was thrown towards the female praetor, and Teresa used her staff to defend herself. Jude's kick landed and Teresa was thrown back several feet away and her hands were in pain due to the staff vibrating through her fingers. She had no doubt Jude's kick could have taken her out of the fight if she didn't block it.

Oscar did not attack Jude, rushing to his sister's side and making sure she was okay.

"Sister, are you okay?" Oscar asked, offering his hand to his sister. Teresa accepted and Oscar pulled her back up.

Teresa however did not answer Oscar's concerns, her gaze locked on Jude.

"I cannot accept it… I _won't_ accept it." Teresa said, her voice gradually getting louder, "Why are you working with that daemon? Why are you stopping us from ending her miserable existence?! Don't you know how much people have suffered from what she did in Hellawes? It's wrong!"

Jude took a moment to gather his words, "…I understand why you and everyone despise daemons. And I guess I can sort of see why. What Velvet did – no, what Velvet and my friends did at Hellawes is unforgivable and nothing I say will ever justify it." Jude stopped and glared directly at Teresa, "But the Exorcists aren't entirely innocent. You all bind malakhim to your will, locking away their emotions and forcing them to do your bidding! You treat them as nothing but tools! You don't have any right to preach to me what is right and wrong! You don't have the right to preach your justice!"

Teresa was taken aback at Jude's tone. She recalled back to their first meeting at Hellawes, Jude did bring up the issue of her treating her malakhim like a tool. But hearing his words coated like venom, it was like a slap to the face for her. In the end, even though Jude shared so much similarity to her dear brother, this was what set them apart. She didn't want to accept a gentle soul like Jude could hold such a view and protect a daemon.

Before Teresa could respond, Oscar stood between Jude and his sister.

"Sister, I don't know why you insist on trying to reason with that man." Oscar said to Teresa while maintaining eye contact with Jude, "Even if it's true that he has a gentle heart within him, it doesn't excuse him for allying himself with daemons!"

"Oscar…"

Jude raised his fists, "I already said… You don't deserve to preach what justice is – not when you abuse the malakhim!"

"It's necessary!" Oscar retorted, "I won't deny that what we're doing to malakhim is evil, but that's the only way we can have a chance against the daemons! The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few."

Jude shook his head, "That isn't right. There has to be another way – a better way! You're all just choosing the easy way out!"

Oscar had enough and ended their short conversation by dashing towards Jude, unsheathing his sword. Jude took one quick glance and noticed Teresa wasn't really following her brother nor was she preparing her artes. It would seem he just needed to focus on Oscar.

Once Oscar was close enough, he swung his sword horizontally with a quick strike. Jude was forced to block the attack with his bracers, feeling Oscar's sword slashing against his wrists. After that, the young doctor moved for a counter-attack, thrusting his right palm forward and knocking it square on Oscar's chest. This temporarily stunned the young praetor and Jude quickly threw a fist with his other hand. Oscar raised his sword and parried it with the butt of his sword, using this opportunity to hop away. However, Jude wasn't going to allow him to do so.

" _Demon Fist!"_

Jude unleashed a wave of energy towards the praetor, forcing Oscar to dodge it. When he got back up, Jude was already in front of him and forced to block another of Jude's attack. At this moment, Oscar have totally lost the momentum as he was forced to be on the defensive, continuously blocking and evading all of Jude's attacks. It was only a matter of time before he found an opening and ends the fight.

However before Jude could actually find his opening, Teresa could no longer stand by the sidelines and moved to join the fight. Just before Jude could throw another attack, she forced herself between Jude and Oscar.

" _Full Moon!"_

Teresa spun her staff around and forcing Jude to stop his assault and back away. Now with the support of his sister, the situation had shifted. As Oscar reengaged Jude, Teresa was quick and enchanted a barrier around her brother. This meant that for the time being, Oscar was safe from any of Jude's attacks and didn't have to focus at all on defense. So ignoring all of Jude's attack patterns, Oscar went on a rampage.

As Jude avoided two of Oscar's attacks, he quickly threw a thunderous kick on the praetor and even though it connected, Teresa's barrier on Oscar simply brushed it off. Jude eyes widened at the revelation and quickly defended himself as Oscar swung his sword at him with all his might. The slash bounced off of Jude's bracers but due to the force, he was thrown off his feet and landed on his back.

Jude wanted to quickly get back on his feet but Teresa applied the pressure on him, firing several more icicle picks at him. Jude carefully evaded all of them but because of that, he lost track of Oscar and the young praetor managed to sneak up on Jude, coming from his side. Oscar did a clean sweep with his sword and due to the pressure, Jude did not coordinate his arms properly and was unable to block the attack properly. Oscar managed to land a small cut across Jude's forearm.

Jude grunted in pain, feeling warm blood pouring out of his wounds. He applied some quick healing artes to close up the wound and stop the bleeding, but that was all he could do before Oscar engaged him once more. It was clear now that Jude was overwhelmed – but he couldn't give up. He was the last thing standing between the two praetors and the injured Velvet.

" _Spirit Beads!"_

Oscar was surprised by the voice coming from his right and when he looked towards the source of the voice, all he saw were three medium-sized balls coming at him. One was wrapped in fire, another a liquefied ball and another comprised of pressurized air. It was only thanks to his sister's intervention, creating a wall of ice, absorbing the impact. This allowed him to come out unscathed but also for Jude to get a breather.

"Tch. I didn't wanna get involved, but it sure looks like you needed some help. You're welcome, by the way." Magilou said, now standing next to Jude.

Jude was breathless and replied, "M-Magilou…?"

"Thaaaat's riiiight!" Magilou answered with a musical tune, "Looks like the only way of escaping from here is to help you guys. I'm not ready to get put back in a tiny cell again, you know."

Jude smirked, "Like you'd ever be ready to be put back in that prison island again."

"I don't know, I did grow rather fond of the place." Magilou responded with a cheeky grin.

Jude returned his focus back to Oscar and Teresa, "I hope I can count on your support then?"

"Well, I do want to _get out_ of here. And helping you is the best chance of achieving that."

Oscar once again charged towards Jude, ending Jude and Magilou's little conversation. Jude also dashed towards the praetor and as the two clashed, both Teresa and Magilou casted their respective artes to support their partners. Neither of the two from each side could afford to make a mistake.

Meanwhile back with Rokurou and Eizen, the pair was faring well enough against the six elite Exorcist soldiers. They would have been overwhelmed if not for the Great Four spirits covering their back, supporting them with their large array of elemental artes. This allowed Rokurou and Eizen to only focus on the enemy in front of them.

Eizen side-stepped an attack and returned a fist on the chest of the Exorcist, knocking him back. The blonde pirate could feel some ribs shattering from that punch. One down, five to go.

" _You need to deal with this quicker if we are to escape from this situation."_ Efreet said to Eizen and Rokurou.

"Thanks for the reminder." Rokurou replied before having to block an attack.

Once more, the five elite Exorcists attacked simultaneously. The Great Spirit Gnome acted first, summoning forth a pillar of earth to burst out of the ground and blocking the path of two of the Exorcist's way. As for Undine, she restored the vitality and stamina of Eizen and Rokurou, both feeling instantly refreshed. Efreet unleashed a curtain of flames, stopping two Exorcist soldiers from pressing forward. That left one more for Rokurou to deal with.

Rokurou danced with the elite Exorcist he was facing, exchanging blows with his opponent. The Exorcist elite was actually impressive as he was able to keep up with Rokurou's speed and reflexes. However he was rather inexperienced and slowly, the spiky-haired daemon saw his opponent's attacks were following a pattern. So after ten seconds, Rokurou predicted the Exorcist elite's next move and countered and plunging both steel daggers deep into the Exorcist's chest, killing him. Another one down.

As for Eizen, his eyes were surveying their current surrounding and the situation they were in. His eyes finally landed on the Shepherd. He and Ludger have not fought yet, looking down at one another.

"It's impossible for Velvet to assassinate Artorius now." Eizen said softly, "We need to get out of here and regroup with Benwick and the crew. We stay here any longer and more reinforcements from the Abbey will arrive."

"Easier said than done, but you're right." Rokurou said in agreement, "We'll need to deal with these guys first and use that opening to make a run for it. That's our only chance!"

" _Then less talking and more action!"_ The Great Spirit Sylph cried. Rokurou and Eizen quickly engaged the remaining four elite Exorcist soldiers. They had to end things quick.

So inside the main chamber of the Empyrean's Throne, almost everyone had their own respective battles. Rokurou, Eizen along with the support of the Great Four were tasked with dealing with the elite Exorcists to clear a path of escape for them. Milla had to deal with both Eleanor and Melchior, which was tough since she had no assistance from her Great Spirits. Finally both Jude and Magilou were engaged against the siblings of Teresa and Oscar. As for Laphicet, he was almost done with healing Velvet's injuries.

XXX

While the fighting commenced around them in the main chamber, Artorius and Ludger have not yet even begun their battle. The two continuously just stared at each other, as if judging and analyzing the strength, skill and technique of the other. They have fought twice since they first met – one in which Artorius easily disarmed Ludger and their second encounter when Ludger engaged Artorius with the level three Chromatus.

For Artorius, Ludger's level three Chromatus was entirely different to the normal Ludger. The last time they fought back at Loegress, Artorius was not prepared for Ludger's powers influenced by the Chromatus armor. This time, he won't make that same mistake.

After what felt like an eternity between the two, both simultaneously charged towards the other.

Ludger struck first the moment they got close, delivering quick strikes with his lance. Despite the enhanced speed granted by the Chromatus, Artorius was a master-class swordsman and parried each of Ludger's attacks with as little effort as possible. Ludger continued to be on the offensive, moving forward and attacking while Artorius moved backwards while blocking all of Ludger's attacks with his sword.

" _Falling Snow!"_

With a burst of speed untraceable with the naked eye, Ludger dashed past while striking at the Shepherd. Despite his incredible speed, Artorius predicted where Ludger would strike and was correct as he blocked exactly where Ludger's lance would have connected. Ludger spun around and to his surprise, found Artorius already before him and attacked. This was the first time since their battle started where Ludger had to be on the defensive. Even with the powers granted by the Chromatus, Ludger could feel Artorius's raw strength behind that blow.

Artorius however couldn't overpower Ludger, not when his left hand wasn't his sword arm. Ludger pushed the Shepherd back and once more returned to being on the offensive, assaulting the Shepherd. Despite pressuring Artorius, Ludger never managed to find an opening. The leader of the Abbey was truly a master swordsman as he skillfully parried and blocked each and every one of Ludger's strikes. It was almost a beautiful artwork that only swordsmen could appreciate its craftsmanship.

However while they fought, Ludger wasn't the only one realizing how skillful Artorius's swordsmanship was. Artorius also had a deep respect for Ludger. While some would claim Ludger relied on the power of the Chromatus, Artorius saw it as just one of his abilities, and if relying on that ability meant becoming this powerful, then to the Shepherd, this was Ludger's true potential.

' _It's unfortunate I meet Ludger after the injury to my sword arm. I would have enjoyed the opportunity to face against this young man when I was at my prime.'_ Artorius thought while engaged with Ludger.

If anyone was watching the fight from an objective point of view, it was no exaggeration that Ludger and Artorius were evenly matched. Some might assume that Ludger had the upper-hand since he was on the offensive for most of the fight but that wasn't true. Until now, Ludger was never able to find an opening. This meant that Artorius's defense was without flaw and his mind focused, not having a lapse in concentration.

"Let me harbor a guess," Artorius said as he continued defending against Ludger's attacks, "I am the divergence catalyst."

Ludger's lance connected against the Shepherd's sword, "…So you know."

Artorius said nothing and parried another of Ludger's attack. Now he has at least confirmed something – that Ludger really was an agent from another world here to destroy their world. And the fact Ludger was gunning for his life means that he was the divergence catalyst. He was glad. It meant that Ludger was not going to succeed so easily.

For Artorius, this new piece of information won't matter if he made a mistake now. He needed to find an opening.

"…I will have to make a gamble." Artorius said softly.

The Shepherd decided that he only needed one strike to end this battle, but it would be a risky one to take. His plan was to make an attack at the same time Ludger would. The problem with this strategy was that, since Ludger was essentially quicker, it meant that the young Kresnik would see the opening first and land the hit first. Artorius's plan was to minimize the damage he took and land a fatal blow instead. It would be dangerous but he was willing to take that opportunity.

Ludger prepared to lunge his lance forward and Artorius saw his opportunity, taking one step forward and thrusting his sword towards Ludger. Ludger was surprised by this and with his reflexes, managed to lower his aim. Artorius could feel Ludger's lance slashing through his left shoulder. The Shepherd winced in pain but pushed onwards, delivering a huge slash across Ludger's torso. However to his shock, his sword just slashed the Chromatus armor but it was clear Ludger did not suffer any pain.

Artorius backed away and Ludger agreed to this retreat, hopping away and keeping a distance between them. Ludger didn't understand why Artorius attempted such a risky maneuver and if he had been quick enough, he would have been able to fatally wound the Shepherd.

For Artorius however, even if he didn't manage to wound the young Kresnik, he learned something important.

' _So his transformation doesn't only increase his combat prowess but also defensive as well. His armor is surprisingly strong.'_ Artorius thought.

Ludger and Artorius glared at each other for a short moment before they simultaneously charged towards each other for the second round. But just before they could meet, a voice stopped Ludger in his tracks.

"Ludger! Jude! Milla! Laphicet! Everyone!" Eizen called out at the top of his lungs. Around him, all the elite Exorcist soldiers were down, defeated. "We need to get out now!"

"Hurry up before more of 'em show up!" Rokurou cried out, running towards the entrance of the Empyrean's Throne.

Rokurou hurried towards where Laphicet was located, applying the final touches on healing Velvet. He wanted to provide cover for them. As for the Great Four spirits, they quickly flew towards their master, Milla Maxwell. The Lord of Spirits was still engaged against Eleanor while Melchior continuously unloaded offensive artes at her. So when the Great Spirits returned to Milla's side, she was relieved.

The Great Spirits Efreet and Undine unleashed their respective elemental artes at Eleanor – a wall of fire and blast of icy cold water. Eleanor had to immediately disengage from Milla and when Melchior tried to support Eleanor, Gnome fired several small rocks at the old legate, forcing him to create a barrier for himself. This allowed Milla to safely retreat and the four Great Spirits followed.

As for Rokurou, just as he reached Laphicet and Velvet, the young malakhim had just finished healing all of Velvet's injuries. The instant she felt she was okay, she shot straight up and got back on her feet.

"Velvet? What are you doing?" Laphicet asked with a concerned look on his face.

"Thank you for healing me, Laphicet." Velvet answered and her sights landed on Artorius, "Now I can get what I came for!"

Laphicet grabbed Velvet's arm, "V-Velvet, no! You can't go! We have to escape!"

Velvet looked down at Laphicet, his words failing to register, "Let go, Laphicet! This is my only chance!"

"No! We can't stay here any longer or we'll all get caught!"

"Laphicet, I'm telling you to – oof!"

Rokurou planted a firm fist on Velvet's midsection, knocking the wind out of her and knocking her unconscious. Before she could collapse forward, the spiky-haired daemon grabbed Velvet and hung her over his shoulder.

"Sorry Velvet, but you're going to have to come with us." Rokurou said to the unconscious Velvet. He then turned to Laphicet, "Come on, kid. Let's regroup with Eizen at the entrance."

"B-But what about Jude and Magilou?" Laphicet asked.

"Don't worry about them. Looks like those spirit-malakhim thing of Milla is going to cover for them."

As Rokurou said that, Laphicet could see the two Great Spirits Efreet and Gnome fly towards where Jude and Magilou were. The pair was still engaged against the two praetors, Oscar and Teresa. Once Rokurou was sure the Great Spirits would support Jude and Magilou, he ran off to regroup with Eizen. Laphicet followed, keeping his eyes on the unconscious Velvet on Rokurou's shoulder.

Jude was about to launch himself into Oscar when suddenly from behind him, a large cone-shaped mass of flames blasted towards the male praetor. Oscar could not react on time and was about to be enveloped by the burning flames when his sister created a last-minute protective barrier around him. Sensing that the barrier wouldn't last, Oscar quickly leaped away and returned to his sister's side. The Great Spirit Gnome lingered around, making sure Teresa did not retaliate with any form of her artes.

Efreet looked at Jude and Magilou, _"Hurry now. Rejoin the others."_

"Don't have to tell me twice." Magilou said and quickly hurried off.

Jude saw Milla was already on her way to regrouping with Eizen at the entrance of the chamber. With one last glance at Teresa and her brother Oscar, the young doctor ran off to rejoin his friends.

As for Ludger, he also noticed his friends have already begun their retreat. This was their only window of opportunity to escape. He focused his attention back to Artorius, deciding whether he should gamble on just making a run for it or trying to defeat Artorius. But defeating Artorius in such a short amount of time was almost impossible, so the young Kresnik decided on the former.

Ludger turned around and dashed to rejoin his friends. To his surprise, Artorius did not budge and allowed him to escape.

Ludger was the last to regroup with the party and without a moment's hesitation, the entire party ran out of the chamber. Velvet's attempt on the Shepherd's life was a failure but they have managed to escape capture as well.

"I won't let you get away!" Teresa exclaimed as she almost broke into a run.

"Don't chase them." Artorius commanded with a firm voice.

"L-Lord Artorius?!"

Teresa was staring back at the Shepherd, confusion written all over her face. Oscar and Eleanor were also a bit perplexed by Artorius's command as they were about to give chase as well. Melchior was the only one that had a calm expression on his face.

"Send a message to Loegress and have them chase Velvet and her entourage." Artorius said as he turned around, walking back to the unknown symbols on the wall.

"B-But Lord Artorius, shouldn't we assist in capturing them as well?" Teresa asked.

Eleanor agreed, "That's right. Regular soldiers or Exorcists can't capture them on their own. We need to be there to help."

"Capturing them now is not our priority." Artorius stated plainly, "We shall continue with the ceremony. You will remain here just in case they make another foolish attempt on my life."

Oscar, Teresa and Eleanor didn't argue when Artorius structured his words like that. In a way, Artorius was placing his trust on them to protect him should anything happen. Without a word, the three young praetors stood at attention, waiting for Artorius to begin the ceremony.

As for Melchior, he created a small orb just above the palm of his hand with a message encoded into the orb. After finishing his enchantments, he sent the orb away. The orb's destination was Loegress detailing orders to apprehend the failed assassins of the Shepherd.

XXXXXX

The entire party was currently halfway through the Danann Highway, making their way towards Port Zekson. With the failed assassination on the Shepherd, trying to return to the capital was suicide and Eizen informed the party the best course of action was to get out of here while they still could. Thus, their aim was to hop aboard the Van Eltia and get far from Midgand before deciding on their next course of action.

When the party was just a distance away from Port Zekson, they also caught sight of a large wave of combined Exorcist and soldiers of the Empire. No doubt they were here to capture them.

"Let's hurry. The Van Eltia should be waiting for us. I sent a Sylphjay earlier telling the crew be ready for anything." Eizen said to the party.

"So you planned that far ahead?" Rokurou questioned. He was still carrying the unconscious Velvet on his shoulder.

"When you have the _Reaper's curse_ , you'll always be ready for the worse-case scenario."

Upon entering through the gates of Port Zekson, the party continued their run through the now empty streets of the small town. Some of the guards that were stationed around the port recognized Eizen and the group as the ones responsible for torching the warehouse just a few hours earlier and tried to stop them, but Eizen quickly dealt with them with one blow.

A few seconds later, the Van Eltia was in sight. It was docked like where it was the last time when they left for Loegress. Eizen spotted Benwick hanging along the docks with a small group of the crew. The lizard daemon Dyle was amongst them.

"Benwick! Get the ship ready to set sail!" Eizen shouted from the distance.

Benwick heard it and saw the blonde pirate with his friends behind him. "First-mate? Are you…?"

"GET THE SHIP READY TO SET SAIL!" Eizen repeated with more urgency this time.

"R-Right! I'm on it!"

Benwick quickly barked out orders to the pirates to get off their lazy butts and get on the Van Eltia to begin preparations to set sail. The pirates were quick on their feet, hurrying on board and getting to their assigned posts, loosening the ropes and unfurling the sails.

By the time Eizen and the party boarded the Van Eltia, Benwick and the crew had already finished the preparations and raised the anchor, leaving the docks of Port Zekson.

The Exorcist and Empire soldiers were just a few seconds too late by the time they arrived at the edge of the port. But they did not give up. They quickly issued orders to board a Royal Navy ship that was docked at Port Zekson and chase the Van Eltia. The Empire soldiers also dispatched a message to summon the Royal Navy to try and stop the Aifread Pirates from making it out to the open sea.

On the Van Eltia, Benwick was behind the helm. "Where're we going?"

"Sail south!" Eizen commanded, "Get us away from Midgand as far as possible. Once the coast is clear, we'll figure out something."

"Aye, aye!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 _Around her was nothing but an endless plane of white. Her surroundings didn't matter to her however. All she knew was of the ravenous hunger that was within her and the only way to satisfy this urge was to feast – feast on ANYTHING. She didn't know how or why, but in front of her was a cold, dead body and she was more than happy to consume it._

" _More… More…!"_

 _In her haste to satisfy her hunger, she transformed her left arm into its daemonic form and grabbed the whole dead body before consuming it. She moved on to the next, and the next, and the next. She was still not close to being pleased. When she moved for the fifth body, she suddenly stopped as the victim looked like that of her deceased younger brother – Laphicet._

 _Velvet screamed in panic, backing away from the body and holding herself into a ball. The guilt of what she was about to do was overbearing._

" _I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to…!" Velvet kept saying, "I… I'm just so hungry… I'm so hungry...!"_

 _Even though she thought she was alone, a calm familiar and soothing voice spoke behind her._

" _If survival is at stake, an elder sister eating her brother before he inexorably wastes away is not outside the bounds of reason. You needn't hold back, Velvet."_

 _Velvet almost froze when she recognized that voice. She turned behind and looked at the person. The familiar uniform of the Shepherd, the leader of the Abbey – Artorius._

" _Eat Laphicet." Artorius instructed._

 _The sight of the man she despised with every inch of her body commanding her to consume her brother made her sick. But what made her sick to the stomach was that Artorius's suggestion actually sounded appealing to her. And she hated it!_

" _N-No…" Velvet whispered, shaking her head, "No! NOO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"NOOOOOOOO!"

Velvet opened her eyes and woke up from her dream, sitting straight up and screaming at the top of her lungs.

"Velvet?! Velvet, calm down!" A voice said.

Velvet turned around and found the young malakhim Laphicet next to her, holding her down. She was covered in a deep sweat, breathing hard and confused as to how she wound up in her current surrounding. She could tell she was in a room but was not very familiar with the furniture decorating the room. When she tried to move, she could a sharp pain on her abdomen.

"Ow…" Velvet said, wincing in pain.

"Velvet, you shouldn't move around too much." Laphicet said, still holding Velvet, "You're still injured. Jude and I only applied some basic healing artes so that your life wasn't in danger. So please, don't move around so much."

At the mention of Jude, everything came back to Velvet. She failed to kill Artorius, then the other praetors arrived to try and capture them but Jude, Ludger and Milla came to save them. When Laphicet was finally done with healing her, Rokurou stopped her from doing something stupid. After that, her mind went blank.

"You're really tough, aren't you, Velvet?" Laphicet asked, breaking the silence.

Velvet looked at Laphicet, confused.

"You have to be in pain, right? All those cuts you got… they have to hurt." Laphicet said.

Velvet looked down at the cuts she received from Artorius and scoffed, "…You have to be tough, if what you seek is revenge."

At that moment, the door opened. Velvet and Laphicet turned to the door and saw it was Ludger. He entered the room and was pleased to see Velvet was already awake. He approached the bed and took a sit on a chair next to the bed.

"Looks like you're awake. I'm glad you're okay." Ludger said with a warm smile.

Velvet glared at Ludger before she asked him, "...Why did you do it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why did you come and help us? You three were looking for something in Loegress, right? Why are you wasting your time with us?"

Ludger took in Velvet's words and before he gave his answer, he remembered again the time when he failed to save fractured Milla's life. In this case, she and Velvet shared one thing – they were both from an outside world. So the answer was simple to Velvet's question.

"Because I didn't want to have another friend dying – not if I can help it." Ludger answered.

Velvet wasn't expecting that kind of answer. She would normally lash out at these kinds of situations, but she remembered the time Ludger risked himself and got hurt back at the Gate of Vortigern. She knew that he was just naturally kind, recalling back to the time he cooked some food for the party after escaping Hellawes to the time he was concerned over the party's safety. In a way, she could imagine Ludger as an older brother she never had.

In a surprise move, Velvet reached out and held Ludger's hand as an appreciative gesture. "Thank you, Ludger." Velvet said.

Laphicet wasn't expecting that and Ludger was definitely surprised. So all he did was return the gesture, placing the palm of his hand atop of Velvet as a sign of mutual trust and friendship.

It was a small start.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

At Port Cadnix, one of the ships of the Royal Navy had just docked at the small port town. The Exorcist soldiers, who were also trained sailors, began their procedure for docking. They moved professionally and in order, which was expected of the Abbey.

While the captain of this ship was normally the highest in the chain of command, this was not the case the past few days. This was because one of the legates was onboard, so the captain answered to him. And the captain just received a letter from the Abbey's headquarters back at Loegress.

"Sir? I'm sorry to interrupt but we just received this." The Exorcist captain said to the legate.

The legate, a tall muscular man with golden eyes and long black hair took the letter from the captain. He skimmed through the words with a bored expression.

"So what's it about?" The legate asked, handing the letter back to the captain. It was obvious he didn't read it at all.

The Exorcist captain cleared his throat, "According to the letter, Aifread Pirates and some daemons that escaped from the prison island attacked the Royal Villa. Also, they tried to assassinate Shepherd Artorius, but failed. They escaped just a few hours ago from Port Zekson and are reported sailing south. Shepherd Artorius has ordered for their capture."

Shigure Rangetsu's attention was piqued. "Oh? These guys made an attempt on Artorius's life? Now that's interesting."

"...What are your orders?"

"Do you even need to ask?" Shigure said with a laugh, "Tell the boys to pack the ship up! We're setting sail! I need to see for myself who these guys are!"

 **CHAPTER END**


End file.
